Chris Rock has expressed his reluctance to participate in awards shows once again. Following an incident where he was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars, Rock has recently revealed that he has declined the Academy’s invitation to host the next year’s Oscars ceremony. This disclosure was made during one of Rock’s comedy sets at the Arizona Financial Theatre in downtown Phoenix, where he discussed turning down the high-profile gig with a sold-out crowd.
Chris Rock "joked" at the Oscars about Jada Pinkett Smith's alopecia. Will Smith came on stage & slapped Rock. For this Smith was banned from the Oscars & forced to resign from the academy. Rock received only sympathy. I'm with Will. Disability is never a source of humor. pic.twitter.com/KDroNJ4t1G
— David C. Stolinsky (@DCStolinsky) March 5, 2023
During his performance, Rock humorously compared Will Smith to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, whom Smith played in the 2001 biopic Ali, for which he received his first Oscar nomination. Rock jokingly acknowledged Smith’s superior size and said that a fight between the two would not be sanctioned by the state of Nevada. He also made references to the infamous O.J. Simpson trial, claiming that hosting the Oscars would be like returning to the scene of a crime. The Academy has yet to confirm whether Rock was approached to host the 2023 Oscars ceremony.
Also read | Chris Rock: Net worth, age, relationship, career, family and more
Rock has hosted the Oscars twice before, in 2005 and 2016, and was also asked to host the 2022 Primetime Emmys, which he declined. Although Rock has moved on from the slap incident, he has been joking about it in recent stand-up sets, including with Dave Chappelle. During Chappelle’s Hollywood Bowl show at the Netflix Is a Joke festival in May, Rock reassured the audience that he was fine and had moved on from the incident.
Will Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard, was banned from attending the Oscars for ten years and publicly resigned from the Academy in April. In July, he issued an apology to Rock in a YouTube video, explaining that his behavior was unacceptable and expressing his willingness to talk. However, as of earlier this month, Rock had reportedly yet to reach out to Smith.
A year after Will Smith smacked him on the Academy Awards stage, Chris Rock laid out a forceful rebuttal in his Netflix special. https://t.co/AwCTk8oBqg pic.twitter.com/23D9hpQDjc
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 5, 2023
In conclusion, Chris Rock’s decision to decline the invitation to host the Oscars next year is not surprising given his recent experiences. His use of humor during his stand-up sets demonstrates his ability to make light of the situation, but it is evident that he is not eager to participate in awards shows at this time. Nonetheless, Rock remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, and his contribution to comedy and film is undeniable.
