Chris Rock reveals he was asked to host next year’s Oscars but refused likening it to Nicole Brown Simpson going ‘back to the restaurant’ after THAT Will Smith slap: Admits the hit hurt because ‘he’s bigger than me’
- The superstar comedian made the comments during a show in Phoenix, Arizona
- He likened going back to host the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime
- Rock referenced the murder of O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson
- Comes after Smith made a public apology to Rock and his family last month
- Smith was banned from the Oscars for 10 years in the wake of the slap
Chris Rock has declared he turned down an offer to host next year’s Oscars following the infamous Will Smith slap.
The superstar comedian told a sold out crowd at a show in Phoenix, Arizona, this weekend that asking him to host the Academy Awards ceremony would be like ‘asking Nicole Brown Simpson to go back to the restaurant’, according to The Arizona Republic.
Rock’s quip likened hosting the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime, referencing the murder trial of O.J. Simpson whose ex-wife’s killing began after she left her eye-glasses at an Italian restaurant.
The comedian also reportedly claimed he rejected the offer to appear in a lucrative Superbowl commercial following the incident which shocked the entertainment community.
Smith strode onto the stage at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles in March and struck Rock with an open palm after the comedian made a tame joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, who was sporting a buzzcut due to alopecia.
Chris Rock declared he turned down an offer to host next year’s Oscars following the infamous Will Smith slap
Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles
Rock said returning to host the Oscars would be like O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife returning to the restaurant where she left her eye-glasses before being murdered (Rock reacts immediately after being slapped onstage by Smith)
Rock has largely kept mum about the ordeal in the five months that have followed the 2022 ceremony, but has intermittently broached the topic during his stand-up shows.
The mention of turning down the 2023 Oscars gig reportedly came after audience members at the Arizona Financial Theatre on Sunday implored Rock to open up about the incident.
Rock also said that Smith’s slap hurt, reminding the crowd that Smith once played legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in a major biopic.
‘He’s bigger than me,’ Rock said, highlighting the physical mismatch between the pair.
‘The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.’
Smith issued a public apology to Rock in July, revealing the pair had still not spoken since the ceremony in March.
The actor said he’d taken the last three months to ‘work’ on himself and realized now how many people he hurt when he smacked Rock on stage at the awards.
‘I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk – when he is, he will reach out.
‘So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.’
He also apologized to Rock’s mother and his entire family, specifically Rock’s mother and his younger brother Tony.
‘I just didn’t realize how many people got hurt in that moment, so I want to apologize to Chris’s mother. I want to apologize.
‘I want to apologize to Tony Rock… Tony Rock was my man and this is probably irreparable,’ he said.
The actor posted the video on Instagram on Friday where said he was ‘fogged out’ during his acceptance speech, and that is why he did not apologize to Rock. ‘I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk when he is, he will reach out
Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith had recently revealed that she was suffering alopecia and had shaved her head. Rock joked during his hosting set that she looked like ‘G.I. Jane’
The Hollywood actor was banned from the Oscars for 10 years following the slap but was allowed to keep his award for Best Actor, which he picked up just minutes after assaulting the show’s host.
In a statement, the Academy blasted Smiths ‘unacceptable’ and ‘harmful’ behavior that ‘overshadowed’ the entire evening.
‘During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.
‘The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards.
‘We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.’
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