Kevin Hart gives Chris Rock a live goat named Will Smith during comedy show

‘He’s just happy he’s not at a Jamaican restaurant,’ Rock quipped about the goat

Kevin Hart has explained his decision to present Chris Rock with a goat on stage during his stand-up show at Madison Square Garden.

Hart, who was also joined for the New York show by Dave Chappelle over the weekend, announced to the crowd that the goat’s name was Will Smith in an inevitable reference to the infamous Oscars altercation between Rock and the Hollywood actor.

Footage of the gig showed Rock protesting against accepting the goat, remarking: “I’m not taking care of that s***!”

Chappelle then told Rock it must be “the worst night of this goat’s life” but Rock countered: “He’s just happy he’s not at a Jamaican restaurant.”

Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday (25 July), Hart said: “I told Dave [Chappelle], I said, ‘Hey man, I’m gonna gift Chris a goat at the end of the show.’

“He said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said what do you mean, what do I mean? I’m gonna go get a goat.”

He explained: “I said Chris you know, Chris is a mentor, friend, inspiration, but he’s a large part of the reason I am where I am today in my career, just from his advice, his insight, et cetera, and he’s my GOAT. Like, he’s my guy and I wanted him to feel that and experience ... how I feel about him in front of that audience.”

However, the gift didn’t quite go to plan. Hart admitted that the goat defecated while on stage and some of the mess may have ended up on Rock’s shoes: “Chris had on some white moon boots and that goat got him.”

Hart, who is friends with both Smith and Rock, recently said that the actor, who went on to win an Oscar for his lead role in King Richard, was apologetic and “in a better space” now.

“I still love him, I still love Chris, and, you know, you can’t judge a person by one thing. Ultimately, life goes on and people grow, so give him the opportunity to do so,” he told Entertainment Tonight.

Smith hit Rock after the comedian and Oscar host made a joke at the expense of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head (Pinkett Smith lives with alopecia).

Smith apologised for the incident and, after resigning as a member of the Academy, had his Oscar privileges revoked for 10 years after an official ruling by the awards body.