Will Smith goes on stage at the Oscars and hits Chris Rock then verbally threatens him from his seat
He made a business decision.
He never really spoke about it after the incident and parlayed his response into a Netflix special. No need to hone in on the material when his response alone paid him many millions.
It might've come off as more entertaining and funnier to more people who like his earlier stand-up comedy specials, which seemed more "authentic", honed and tried out where his on-stage presence seemed more natural, less repetitive, and maybe not as force-fed.
It might have been amusing and funny for people who aren't familiar, don't watch or aren't used to the nuances, timing, pacing, and organic feel of a HBO/Showtime comedy special, but those hard-core types who watched Eddie Murphy, late Carlin with his angry, venomous" I hate the world", 90's--his death shtick, Chris Rock in the late 90's and 2000's, they know what constitutes great stand-up sounds and looks like and quite a few of them didnt get that with that Netflix special where Rock got paid millions for a mediocre-flimsy show that he did mainly to ride the Will Smith face-slapping Oscar controversy/momentum earlier in the year.
Chris Rock took the money and got a few laughs and hey, more power to him but those who know what great comedy that's well-rehearsed, has great timing, peaces itself, isn't overly-repetitive sounds like didnt get their money's worth and some werent so much laughing by the end, but found it boring. He cashed in on a raging controversy where he was the unwitting protagonist as perceived by most of American viewing public and he went along with the financial windfalls the trend created.