Will Smith - “Emancipation” | The Daily Show 

Much respect to Trevor bringing up the Oscars, and respect to Will for not slapping him for it.

My 11 year old boy asked me what did that man do to upset Will Smith so much. And I told him that Will lost it. He asked me if I could ever lose it like that and I said to him not in a million years. Then my wife reminded me of a road rage incident where a car ignored the yield and cut in front of me and we nearly collided and stopped in the middle of the road. I got out of the car and went straight to the guy and grabbed him through the window in front of his kids and my family and almost slapped him. To this day I cannot remember what triggered me to act this way and I've been leaving with that shame for years now. The difference is that I do not live my life in the spotlight and there is no media to highlight those moments. This was a human experience, and I'm glad I do not have to answer to millions about it.

Hy guys, I've been studying English for 7 years, and now I understand what they're talking about, i so happy 😂🎉, Moldova 🇲🇩

When I watch an interview, I wanna see people be a little or a lot vulnerable. Trevor lets them in a way that is dignifying and uplifting - like a friend. There are things we would never see out of the people we look up to if not for a great interviewer. So much respect.

I hate to see Trevor leave this show. I learned so much from him. His perspectives on things along with kindness and clear , transparent way he talks. I’m going to miss him.😢

Being interviewed by Trevor for his first mainstream interview was probably the smartest decision because Trevor is a lot more insightful than most hosts and he’s more of a friend to Will, so there‘s a lot more understanding of Will and the situation. Also, if more people read Will’s book, they’d be less critical of him. But Trevor is the levelheaded, logical, yet empathetic voice Will and a lot of people needed to hear. One is not defined by their mistakes. And a lot of us have probably made worse mistakes. You can tell this still affects Will deeply, but this was the right platform to showcase Will that he still has people in his corner.

Trevor bless you, for not only having the tough conversation, but to stay in the emotional moment even when Will would break away from it with laughter or turn to the audience. It’s obviously uncomfortable for Will, but someone who cares will reel you back in and make sure you go through it, so that you can fully receive and grow. Loved this interview.

He’s one of the few that won an album without profanity drugs or threatening violence give that man some respect. If I had to grow up in the spotlight it would create quite the dynamic when no one is looking…

At this point, no one can top Trevor's interviewing skills . The way he is emotionally intelligent is just amazingly graceful. He's not offensive nor defensive and he understands all the nuances of each situation

I can imagine that Trevor's thinking "don't think about the slap". Will's Smith is thinking "I hope they're not thinking about the slap". And the audience is thinking about the slap.

That was so compassionate. We all fall short of the glory.

Trevor gave Will a chance to be heard in a friendlier, more understanding environment, not to condone nor chastise, but just to remind us all that we all make mistakes and there is always room to understand each better.

Trevor you are going to be missed so much in this format. 80% of people conducting interviews spend the time building their brand, interrupting the guest and asking 'gotcha' questions. So few speak human to human and truly ask questions to learn answers that help us all grow. Love and respect.

The amount of times he said “you know” made me uncomfortable for him. He’s been the charismatic, charming ultimate entertainer for decades and he was genuinely uncomfortable and super vulnerable in this interview. He’s really going through a tough time and I hope he’s able to be happy again.

This was one of the best interviews, I've seen yet; so, very special. Trevor would make a great therapist.

Gosh this man has so much talent and positive vibes in him, just seeing his face and i relive so many great times! So glad he got to get interviewed by my other favourite artist The Weeknd

Only Trevor could have done this with this level of class, Grace, love, respect, and still keep it light. Trevor is a class act and Will was absurdly brave to have agreed to talk about it, while nearly exhausted from all the traveling, eyes watering, completely vulnerable, and yet remaining understanding, open, and always a life teacher. He is right. We never know what others are going through…❤️

Trevor's ability to keep us all grounded, sincere and 'human' is next level.

Drinking game: take a shot every time Will says “y’know?”

Nice and genuine interview by Trevor. Love to see the support between Will and Trevor!

Trevor's emotional intelligence is top tier

Watching this interview is like watching two friends sitting in their backyard talking honestly about life. Heart warming ❤️

I watched the ending more than twice, those motivating words, the handshake from the bottom of the heart, that real and comforting hug. This was deep. Love you Trevor. Wish quick internal healing for Will Smith, it must be hard for him.

This was a heartfelt and sincere tête-à-tête! I love the fact that Noah paid hommage to Will while reminding him that he is human. I pray that he continues to find real peace in his healing journey along with a village that supports him.

9:00 the moment your all here for.

So I took a shot every time Will said “you know” and now i’ve been hospitalised

We all need a friend like Trevor

You can tell that Trevor was one of the few people who actually took a step back when it happened and assessed the situation FIRST, before jumping on a bullhorn and acting offended. Too many performative actors and bad comedians took the opportunity to inject themselves into something that had nothing to do with them and present horrible takes on Will as a man. That was more of a slap in the face to both parties than what actually happened.

I believe we all need a friend like Trevor, understanding, non judgmental and supportive. He amazingly talks to people not to just get an answer out but to try and understand them with grace and compassion, in conclusion let’s you know that it’s a safe zone, we are all human. But more amazing try’s to uplift people no matter their pasts and downfalls.

I don’t know if anyone will ever be able to top this passionate interview that Trevor conducted. You could tell that it was really genuine.

I love you Will Smith because you are human, you are a kind soul.

It's funny how we all make mistakes and everyone we know makes mistakes, but a celebrity makes even one mistake and we don't have the same understanding that they are humans who make mistakes too

He has already earned decades of respect. One act of weakness/violence doesn't define someone. If it did, WE WOULD ALL BE GUILTY.

Trevor is the best interviewer on television today. His genuine and humble approach will be missed greatly. Thank you, Trevor, for being you and for sharing who you are with all of us.

Will Smith is very handsome. U can see as a child he was real compassionate, an gentle. Still my favorite Actor. Mr. Smith😊

I think Trevor, on his way out, made one of the biggest contributions to Smith's life.

That hug at the end...Trevor holding a spotlight on our humanity & connectedness once again. We are going to miss this deep, daily dose of on-air authenticity. ✨ In a way, TN brought what Mr. Rogers did to TV -- healing our wounds through the airwaves by both laughing with and talking respectfully about real issues to cast a deeper light. Bravo & thanks Daily Show 🙌

It's nice to see a man just be emotional in a way that's healthy and sincere

Emancipation was fantastic and Fighting the Alligator was unforgettable. Great movie!!!!!!!

Incredible interview! The grace and compassion extended to Will in this interview was dope to see. Trevor was transparent in expressing that he felt Will’s actions were messed up but still chose to uplift his brother instead of kicking him while he’s down!

I'm always in awe of Trevor's interviewing skills which to me, is the best among his peers. And the hug that he initiated at the end was so humane. He'll certainly be missed when he leaves.

Will smith is a beautiful person. I’m so glad he has found the grace to forgive himself. He is large and so his mistakes will be also, but he found the grace to forgive himself and the people who always got something to say negative about him are the ones who need to sweep around their own back doors. Those who continue to crucify him and are so shocked about the slap have done way worse. Keep going Will. You were a household name before the Oscars. You will be alright.

“The sum of a person is how I define them as opposed to a moment.” Trevor!!!! “I don’t want that to define you. It shouldn’t define you.” I love both these guys.

I'm so happy that Will Smith did his first interview with Trevor Noah. I'm going to miss Trevor when he leaves the show because he has compassion, nuance, and intellect during discussions. He's not a 'gotcha you' type or has malicious intent. I don't know if other media people would have shown this level of care and respect for Will.

Thank you Trevor for masterfully welcoming Will Smith back into public life. I appreciate your grace and honesty.

Noah's emotional intelligence is off the charts. Incredible interviewer. I just became a fan

We can see that Will is still feeling ashamed and guilty after making that infamous slap. He is wiping his tears throughout the interview. We all know that he sincerely wants to change and be a better person after this incident. Wish you all the best in your recovery Will. We have faith in you.

Trevor has such a big heart. You can see how much he cares about people, and in this case his friend, Will Smith. We should not be defined by our biggest mistakes...we are all human.

William Smith (c. 1790-1847) was an English captain who discovered the South Shetland Islands after this the traveled beyond and some one else discovered the south pole

I like how Trevor framed the question to not ask about Oscar night directly, but rather the effect on him afterwards. So it was then in Will's hands whether or not to discuss the night directly. And he did because Trevor built that trust where he's not just gonna backstab with the same questions everyone else asks... Trevor was also self aware enough to change "what's funny" to "what's interesting". Trevor is definitely one of the best interviewers so I hope he keeps it up even when he's not on the show anymore.

Great interview! Love you guys ! Blessings!

"YOU KNOW" that guy was nervous, defeated, trying to repair the damage. Trevor is the most skillful interviewer to have helped him repair his image.

Dude... Massive, massive respect to Trevor for speaking his mind about the Oscars incident to Will's face. Saying "it was F**ked up what you did", but putting it in a context of "learning from a mistake". I'll miss Trevor a lot as a host and speaker.

I really loved this interview, especially after just reading his memoir. I've always been a fan of Will's for a long time. ❤️🙏🏿

we love you Will from India. We know you are not that man. You are that fun, loving and crazy man whom we loved in fresh prince. So that was a temporary bad phase.

This was an extremely fascinating interview! You can tell Smith is still trying to figure everything out. He's no where near as polished as he usually would be! Trevor did phenomenal job directing this conversation!!

A picture of grace is what Trevor displayed tonight. Well done! May we all be willing to accept apologies and not judge one another on our worst days/nights but more on the overall trajectory of someone's life.

Great show Trevor!!! Thank you for everything you shared with Will Smith especially on behalf of us. We love Will and Chris and hope one day they can be free from that action cause it doesn't define them at all. Tell them to keep doing what they do!!! Much love to your Trevor

we Love you WILL

I don't think anyone can take interviews like Trevor. He's unique in his own way.

Empathy is a superpower. Objectivity is a superpower. This is the kind of conversation that really has the power to heal the world. Thank you Trevor.

That's the first time ever I had the feeling this was the very real Will Smith. Enjoyed this a lot. A nice man with mistakes like everybody else.

This show touched my heart, specially I just read your book! Trevor, you are the man! Love you!

appreciate his ability to see that the situation was messed up and finally admit that he was going thru something. we been knew this. wish him well, still one of my fav actors and rappers

I'm really gonna miss Trevor Noah as the host of this show. He's such an incredebly talented interviewer and conversationalist man. Love how he always seems to know the right words to navigate these complex topics and ideas. I wish him the best on his next chapter!

I love Will's laugh so much.

Trevor had so much class in this interview. You never know what someone else is going through. We should be nice, watch what we say to and leave people alone. You never know how someone will react! The tongue is power. Never put people on a pedestal. Will is a human being. Be real, we all have less than stellar moments in our lives.

Trevor handled this with such grace. I love it. Truly hate he is leaving. Love Will’s transparency and humility. We have ALL made mistakes. The only difference is Will had the world watching and we did not. Love this conversation and hearing men discussing their feelings. Wishing them both the best in their future endeavors. 🫶🏾

I really love will smith 🥹🥹🥹

We all make mistakes. Those who won't forgive you are the one's who did not or cannot forgive themselves for the wrong that they did. I also tried to judge you, but then I thought about the mistakes that I made. That I found to be difficult for myself to forgive.

Trevor is such an exceptional conversationist...❤️

I’ve heard Will say “you know” A LOT of times in interviews, but based on this interview you can tell he was nervous. I think he’s dealt with the issue personally at home. But I don’t think he’s found the right words to deliver to the public because sometimes you can say the right thing in public, but people will still try to twist your words. Just like how he said he didn’t want to say too much to “create misunderstanding”. He knows all he can really say is that he’s sorry and that he’s lost it. Because if he said anymore, people would try to read between lines that aren’t there and be even more critical. People expect perfect when they aren’t perfect themselves. Will just needs love and support right now.

Will Smith did so great on this project He did amazing infact 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

I appreciate that Will spoke about how complicated the situation was, in sooooo many ways.

There is no one could've handled the Oscar thing with Will the way Trevor did in such a respectful and thoughtful way👏👏👏

Trevor handled it like a pro. Without making Will feel uncomfortable and yet still having a conversation on an uncomfortable topic for him.

Great lesson! Both "faith vs revelation and the POWER of love"-- all three can start your life over, yet love conquerors ALL. You're "Will Smith" love and respect. We all make mistakes 🤗

I’m one of the biggest Will Smith fans. People have their moments and I’m still looking forward to all he has to offer this world. Anyway, Trevor seems like the coolest, smartest person

The way Trevor interrupted Smith when he noticed he didn't find the exactly words 👍

My heart honestly goes out to Chris Rock and Will because, Will won't ever live this down it seems and Chris was humiliated. I am so torn only because I don't think a person should be judged for a single act, especially when it's totally out of character. Even judges and juries consider peoples records when handing down a sentence. I pray both these guys at some point one day can come together--not necessarily be friends but at least make things right.

They way Will switched Oscar topic is so artistic Man 😂😂,shout out to the fresh prince 🔥

Trevor, your presence here will be missed. Thank you for being an empathetic, analytical, down-to-earth, and honest human. It's clear that you are always working, with the best of intentions, to bridge unnecessary divides. I hope you will produce more well-thought-out, even wise, humor.

Drinking game : Take a shot every time Will says "You know".

This was an excellent interview. Trevor has an amazing skill of navigating difficult conversations with respect and civility without losing the importance or impact of the subject.

With the Obvious Support of this Interviewer Trevor, Great Energy and Understanding on his part , but no one mentions how Inspiring , yet Very Courageous , One Who is on the Big Screen in front of the Whole world Watching You, No one Is Perfect , Yet he Manages to not only Pull Through but Reveals His True Character . Will Smith, You Are one of The Greats Of Our Time . Thank you Will and Trevor .

I am happy to say that it was a powerful and moving film and Will's respect to the Character of Peter and his suffering personified the beauty of the human spirit. Will's effort and passion for the story is clearly on display in the film.

This is a master class for what interviews should be. Compelling conversation handled with authenticity and pure humanity. ❤

The level of grace and tact with which Trevor handled this, and every other interview he's done, is really admirable. Both he and Stephen Colbert should host a clinic, especially for the other late night hosts, on how to properly conduct an interview.

Ironically the one perfect being never judged others for being imperfect. Human: Live, learn, grow!

Trevor's one of the best interview. He handle the story cleverly and Sensitively. Gonna be missed behind this desk.

This was a great honest compassionate interview. Trevor handled the discussion re Will's Oscar behavior with such compassion and accountability.

You can have hard conversations, you can directly tell people they messed up and you can be kind all at the same time. Trevor

❤ I never heard the power of love explained beautiful like the way will Smith explained it lovely😊❤

That moment at the Oscars broke my heart for Will Smith. He has been so talented and worked so hard, tried to be so positive and get the best out of life. He's been a rare advocate for being vulnerable and emotionally open as a man. He finally got recognized for his talent and went and sabotaged it. The African American community is so effing harsh and relentless in their criticism, it continues to this day. Will reminds me of my big brother, he's complex and amazing, talented and flawed, human, and I hate to see people treat him badly. I wish Will well and I hope he can recover from that self-imposed loss and the other-imposed fallout that came from it. His talent and the great work he's done will be his legacy. I'm really moved by what he's describing with Emancipation, I need to see the film. I agree with Trevor, that it's incomprehensible, but it's something I personally believe every American has an obligation to understand and to heal.

"The sum of a person is how I define them as opposed to a moment"-Trevor..This was not an interview, it's more of a human empathetic moment. A lot of us needed this closure from Will and glad Trevor made it happen. I hope I see Will and Chris at the same table soon.

His first interview after the Oscar’s could not be better than this. Trevor is absolutely amazing. He was generous but fair. And I continue to remain a Will Smith fan.❤ Cant wait to watch that movie.

Trevor was just at a hand distance from Will fearing all along if this might be his turn if he utters a joke that may offend Will 🤣😂

My birthday is June 19. Today, my husband and I watched Emancipation. In 2019, I published my first of eleven books, Faith Changes the Outcome. I am proud of each in a different way. I appreciate each moment and grateful for my work and others' contributions to make this world better for all. Blessings and dreams come true for everyone here 🙏🖤🤎🤍🙏

Y’all are dragging that slap let it tf go! He apologized let it be!!!!

The way my eyes have welled up!!! The pressure of knowing that one's own [poor] decision could bring down giants in their fields.... That's tough. He's one of my faves. I hope he knows how much he is loved and that it's okay for there to be a chunk people on the planet who now dislike him. I hope he stays the course to full healing.