Chris Rock Doesn't Want To 'Return To The Crime Scene', Rejects Oscars Offer!

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 ceremony. The comedian joked that returning to the stage so soon after his Will Smith scandal would be like returning to a crime scene.

Rock also said that he turned down an opportunity to feature in a Super Bowl commercial. ABC executive Craig Erwich also recently revealed to Deadline magazine that the network would love to have Rock as an Oscars host again. The comedian hosted the ceremony twice, in 2005 and 2016.

Since the infamous slap, which occurred after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, he has avoided discussing the incident. However, he made a few jokes about it during the Phoenix set. Smith apologized last month for the slap after receiving intense criticism and a ban from the Academy. 

Read on to find out more.

During Rock’s Phoenix stand-up show on Sunday, he revealed that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences asked him to host the 2023 Oscars ceremony after his infamous slap at this year’s ceremony. However, the comedian said that he had turned down the offer.

According to the Arizona Republic, Rock joked about the offer during his set, comparing his potential return to the Oscars stage to a return to a crime scene. He even referenced the famous OJ Simpson murder trial, saying taking the offer would be like asking Nicole Simpson to “go back to the restaurant.”

Later on, Rock also revealed that he was offered the opportunity to feature in a new commercial for the Super Bowl, which he also turned down. However, he didn’t give any reasons for turning down the Super Bowl offer.

Rock hosted the Oscars ceremony in 2005 and 2016. His 2016 host appearance occurred just as the Academy was facing intense backlash and criticism with the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

Craig Erwich, the president of entertainment at ABC studios, recently revealed to Deadline magazine that the network is open to bringing Rock back to host the Oscars 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 of who it might be.

The infamous slap occurred after Rock joked about Jada’s baldness, which is 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 for him to “talk about it.”

According to the Arizona Republic, Rock acknowledged that Smith’s slap hurt and joked about it. The 57-year-old also said it wasn’t lost on him that Smith once played boxing legend Muhammad Ali in a biopic. He said, “He (Smith) is bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”

In July, Smith posted an emotional apology on his YouTube and other social media platforms, in which he apologized to Rock, his fans, and everyone who was at the Oscars ceremony. In the video, the “King Richard” actor revealed that he had reached out to Rock personally and was told that the comedian would reach out when he was ready.

He said, “I apologize to you, my behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk. There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. There is no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insult.”

After the infamous incident, there was an immediate backlash against Smith. He was severely criticized on social media and was later banned by the Academy from all Oscar events for the next ten years. However, the actor’s Best Actor Oscar award wasn’t revoked, and he can still be eligible for future nominations and awards.