Fans can’t help but roll their eyes at Chris Rock when he explains why he won’t be hosting the Oscars next year, despite the fact that he is although jokingly equating his slap to a notorious murder.
Chris Rock revealed to the crowd at a performance on Sunday in Phoenix that he had been asked to return and host the Oscars the following year, but he had declined. There is little doubt as to why he declined after receiving a slap onstage in front of the Hollywood elite and millions of at-home viewers, but upon further explanation, he seemed to believe the smack was significantly more traumatic than the rest of the world.
According to the Arizona Republic, the comedian told the crowd that going back to the Oscars would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant” where she left her eyeglasses before she was killed, referencing the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted in the case.
Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of discussion on Chris Rock’s comparison, with many asking how he could possibly think that getting slapped is comparable to being brutally killed. In addition, he still hasn’t offered an apology for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, which makes it much worse that he brought up the domestic abuse that another lady had to endure.
Back in May, two months after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars, ABC’s President of Entertainment Craig Erich told Deadline that he was open to having Rock return as host next year. The choice would surely boost ratings, according to the executive.
“Obviously there was a lot of controversy [surrounding this year’s broadcast], which overshadowed a lot of the positive things about the show, but I was really happy with the program,” Erich stated. “It was the biggest bounce-back of any award show this season.”
The 2023 Oscars will take place on March 12.
Some Twitter Reactions to the Remark of Chris Rock
The comparison made by Chris rock between the Will Smith slap and the murder of a black woman obviously did not go down well with a number of people. Here are some reactions: