Oscars 2022: Criminal OJ Simpson shocked at Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, labels it 'wrong'

Convicted criminal OJ Simpson has hit out at Will Smith's behaviour after he slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife. Photo / OJ Simpson / Twitter / Getty Images

Criminal OJ Simpson has hit out at actor Will Smith for slapping comedian Chris Rock in the face during the Oscars earlier this week.

The former NFL star, who has a criminal record for a number of offences including kidnapping, assault, robbery, and use of a deadly weapon, has taken to social media to air his thoughts over the incident that sent Hollywood into a spin.

Simpson, who was famously acquitted for the 1994 double murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, posted a video ranting about the incident on Twitter.

In it, he says he believes Will Smith was "wrong" and even went as far as defending Chris Rock, calling the joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith not "all that egregious".

"Hey look, it was unfortunate. I think Will was wrong, but I understood fully.

"In my life, I've been through a lot of crap. I was raising two young kids and every comedian in the country had an OJ routine, and don't think I wouldn't wanna slap a couple of those guys... But you've got to accept it's humour.

"I didn't even think it was all that egregious.

"I thought it was a semi unfunny joke but I don't know. I don't get it.

Convicted criminal OJ Simpson has hit out at Will Smith's behaviour after he slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife. Photo / OJ Simpson / Twitter / Getty Images

"But I know this, after what happened to me in Las Vegas (a reference to a robbery), if I would have done that in front of billions of people watching around the world they would have given me life without [parole]. Just saying!"

Simpson's stance comes despite Chris Rock previously making jokes about his high profile double murder trial in the 1990s.

In 1996, Rock stated: "If OJ wasn't famous, he would be in jail right now."

In 2007, Simpson was found guilty on 12 counts, including kidnapping, relating to an armed robbery of a Las Vegas memorabilia dealer.

In 2008 he was sentenced to 33 years in prison for the crimes. However, he was released in 2017 on parole after serving almost nine years.

Despite Smith's behaviour, Rock has declined to file a police report for the assault.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Smith will not face criminal charges for the slap as Rock has "declined to file a police report".