Will Smith To Appear On Letterman But Won't Talk Slap

LOS ANGELES, CA — Will Smith will appear in the upcoming season of the Netflix talk show "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" -- but he won't be addressing his infamous Oscar night Stupid Human Trick.

Netflix on Thursday announced the lineup for season four of Letterman's post-"Late Show" talk program -- and Smith, who stormed the Dolby Theatre stage during the March 27 Oscars and slapped presenter Chris Rock in the face -- is among the guests.

But the network noted that all six episodes of the Letterman show were shot before March.

So Smith won't be addressing what's become known as "The Slap Heard 'Round the World."

Smith won the best-actor Academy Award for his work in "King Richard," but Oscar night was marred when he assaulted Rock on stage in response to the comedian making a joke about Smith's wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

On April 8, Smith was banned from attending any Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences events -- including the Academy Awards -- for 10 years.

The fourth season of Letterman's Netflix program will debut May 20, with all six episodes available that day, the streaming service announced.

Besides Smith, guests will be Cardi B, Kevin Durant, Billie Eilish, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Ryan Reynolds.

City News Service