Rock continued laughing and leaning forward as Smith crossed the stage to stand and confront him face-to-face. Without speaking, Smith slapped Rock across the face, then quickly turned around and returned to his seat.[11] The suddenly silent audience was startled, but assumed that the slap was prearranged comedy; a physical attack contradicted the calm public image that Smith had built over three decades.[12] Rock reacted to the incident onstage, while Smith shouted at him from his seat, without a microphone.[11]