Chris Rock's Chicago Show Tickets Spike After Oscar Night Slap

CHICAGO — Comedian Chris Rock plans to make a Chicago comedy stop this fall, but after being slapped by actor Will Smith at Sunday’s Academy Awards, tickets for the event are expected to be in high demand.

Rock is scheduled for three shows at the Chicago Theater on Oct. 13-15. Tickets for the shows on the second-hand market are currently ranging from $50 for balcony seats to more than $450 in the orchestra pit, according to Ticketmaster.

Rock, who hosted the Academy Awards, was slapped by Smith in a moment that immediately went viral after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Will Smith also won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams in the film “King Richard.”

Smith has apologized to Rock, who has elected not to press charges following the incident in which Smith’s behavior was widely criticized. Tickets still remain for the Oct. 14 show, but online ticket brokers said in social media posts that ticket interest surged overnight Sunday into Monday.

Online ticket broker TickPick posted in a tweet that ticket sales for the Chicago shows were higher after the slap and into Monday than in the previous month combined.

Rock’s Ego Death tour begins this month in Boston and runs through November.