Alyssa Farah Griffin Unimpressed by Will Smith Apology on ‘The View’: “It’s A Lot Easier to Say Something Scripted”

The ladies tackled some breaking news this morning on The View as Will Smith released a long-awaited apology video for smacking Chris Rock at the Academy Awards back in March. However, guest co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin would have liked a little bit more from the actor regarding the “slap heard ’round the world.”

“It’s an important first step but I think he’s gotta go further,” Griffin began. “And even the fact that he didn’t do this in more of an interview format where he might get challenged with some tough questions, I was a little surprised by.”

She went on to say, “It’s a lot easier to say something scripted to a camera than to ask, you know, what was your motivation? Why did you then apologize in your acceptance speech? I think I would’ve liked to see him sit down with Oprah, like, she’ll challenge you.”

Sara Haines agreed with Griffin saying, “I did feel it was a little scripted, I wish he just said, you know, ‘I’m sorry.’ It was such precise, deliberate words and when you see people do this, I just wish it felt a little more authentic.”

However, guest co-host Ana Navarro defended Smith’s apology.

“I think it’s so important that you have to be scripted to make sure that you get everything that you need to say out,” she said.

Navarro added that “none of us should be judged by our worst moments,” before rounding back to a more sympathetic Griffin to end the segment.

“I do think we all put him on a pedestal because he is this man we all admired and respected so much so it was so much more jarring when it took place but we also have to have grace to him,” Griffin said. “Everyone’s a work in progress.”

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.