Serena Williams left the audience in stitches with her witty sports jokes during the 2024 ESPY Awards on Thursday.
During her opening monologue, Williams noted major sports events, like the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, and Will Smith’s infamous Oscar’s slap.
Poking fun at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s romance, she said, “Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs. This year, Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend won a Super Bowl.” She continued: “Travis and Taylor reportedly spent $100,000 a day on their romance. That’s a lot of money.
That’s what I’ve been told [Boston Celtics shooting guard] Jaylen Brown spends on his beard. It’s very shiny. I like it though.”
The tennis champion also poked fun at Will Smith’s Oscar’s slap after he played her father in King Richard, a film based on her journey.
“Will Smith played my dad. He was so good it in, he won an Oscar, even after slapping Chris Rock,” she teased, referring to Smith slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars after the host made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia.
She added: “I was like, ‘Dang, Will, you gotta come out of character.’” Williams attended the ceremony with her husband Alexis Ohanian, and their eldest daughter, Olympia, 6.
The couple’s youngest daughter Adira, 11 months, wasn’t with them for the ceremony.
