Chris Rock has reportedly turned down the offer to host the Oscars again next year. He made the announcement during a standup show in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, 28 August 2022.
Chris Rock declines to host the 2023 Oscars: Here’s what we know
According to The Guardian, the actor said he had been asked to host the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony but turned down the offer.
During a standup show, the comedian said the awards’ organisers had asked him to return to host for the third time. The actor reportedly compared accepting the hosting gig to returning to the scene of a crime.
Rock referred to the murder trial of OJ Simpson. The former football player was accused of killing his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
During the trial, it was argued that her murder began with Nicole leaving a pair of glasses at an Italian restaurant. Rock said returning to the award ceremony would be like asking Nicole “to go back to the restaurant.”
He also said he received an offer to do a Super Bowl commercial following the incident. However, he “profanely” refused as well.
Earlier this year, Rock was slapped on stage by Will Smith after he made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The actor made a joke about Jada’s shaved head.
While Rock has not formally addressed the slap, he didn’t shy away from the topic during his tour. When he mentioned how a person could get famous for being a victim, someone asked Rock to “talk about it.” The comedian said the blow from Smith hurt.
“He’s bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith,” he said.
Smith has since apologised to both Rock and his family publicly. However, Rock has not responded to the apology.
