Chris Rock made an emotional return to the stage on Wednesday night for the first time since Will Smith slapped him at the Academy Awards.

Rock made his first public remarks about the incident. In his first of two shows, he was greeted by the audience at Boston's Wilbur Theater with two back-to-back standing ovations, lasting several minutes.

"Let me be all misty and s***," Rock said with tears in his eyes, gesturing to the crowd's warm response.

"How was your weekend?" he quipped, to which the audience responded with laughter.