Actor and comedian Chris Rock recently told the crowd at his stand-up set in Phoenix that he turned down an offer from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to host the 2023 Oscars. The comedian joked that returning to the stage right after his Will Smith scandal would be like back to the scene.
Rock also said that he turned down the opportunity to appear in a Super Bowl commercial. ABC executive Craig Erwich also recently revealed to Deadline magazine that the network would love Rock to host the Oscars again. The comedian hosted the event twice, in 2005 and 2016.
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Since the infamous slap, which happened after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, he has avoided discussing the incident. However, he made a few jokes about it during Phoenix’s set. Smith apologized last month for the slap after receiving heavy criticism and a ban from the Academy.
Read on to learn more.
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Chris Rock Rejects Academy
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During Rock’s Phoenix stand-up show on Sunday, he revealed that the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences asked him to host the 2023 Oscars after his famous slap at this year’s ceremony. However, the comedian said that he has turned down the offer.
According to Arizona Republic, Rock joked about the offer during his set, comparing his potential return to the Oscar stage to returning to the scene. He also referenced the infamous OJ Simpson murder trial, saying accepting the offer was like asking Nicole Simpson to “go back to the restaurant.”
Later, Rock also revealed that he was offered the opportunity to appear in a new commercial for the Super Bowl, which he also turned down. However, he did not give any reason for turning down the Super Bowl offer.
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He Has Hosted The Oscars Twice
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Rock hosted the Oscars in 2005 and 2016. His hosting appearance in 2016 came just as the Academy faced intense backlash and criticism with the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
Craig Erwich, president of entertainment at ABC studios, recently revealed Deadline magazine that the network is open to bringing Rock back to host the Oscars once again. New Academy President Bill Kramer has also confirmed that the Academy plans to have a host for the 2023 ceremony, but there is no confirmation on who that person will be.
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Chris Rock Jokes About The Slap
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The famous slap happened after Rock joked about Jada’s baldness, which was caused by her alopecia condition. The comedian has since refused to talk about the incident but broke his silence at his Phoenix show after someone in the audience called out to him to “talk about it.”
According to Arizona Republic, Rock admitted that Smith’s slap hurt and joked about it. The 57-year-old also said it was not lost on him that Smith had played boxing legend Muhammad Ali in a biopic. He said, “He (Smith) is bigger than me. The state of Nevada will not allow a fight between me and Will Smith.”
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Will Smith posted an Apology Video
In July, Smith posted an emotional apology on YouTube and his other social media platforms, in which he apologized to Rock, his fans and everyone at the Oscars. In the video, the “King Richard” actor revealed that he reached out to Rock personally and was told that the comedian would call when he was ready.
He said, “I’m sorry to you, my behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here when you’re ready to talk. No part of me thought that was the right way to behave at the time. There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to deal with feelings of disrespect or humiliation.”
After the infamous incident, there was an immediate backlash against Smith. He was heavily criticized on social media and subsequently banned by the Academy from all Oscar events for the next ten years. However, the actor’s Best Actor Oscar was not revoked, and he is still eligible for future nominations and awards.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
