Chris Rock recently revealed that he declined an invitation to host the next Academy Awards following the viral altercation that went down with actor Will Smith at this year’s ceremony.
Rock made the comments during a comedy show in Phoenix on Sunday, telling the audience that he also chose not to make an appearance in a Super Bowl commercial as well, according to the Arizona Republic.
Academy president talks Will Smith, Chris Rock Oscars slap: ‘Will it be brought up?’ pic.twitter.com/VZPBGVmvOP
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The 57-year-old comedian spoke out saying, returning to the Oscars after telling a joke that got him slapped by Will Smith would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant,” the Arizona Republic reported.
“He’s bigger than me,” Rock said. “The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”
As we previously reported, Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith after making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett at the Oscars which had social media in an uproar. Will recently apologized publicly to Rock for his actions. While answering a few questions, Smith shared, “There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave at that moment,” Smith, who sighs deeply at points and seems to be fighting back tears, says in the video. “There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults.”
Will Smith says sorry to Chris Rock for #Oscars slap.
He does not look OK though. pic.twitter.com/uMV7IjnUdq
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Smith also addressed questions about whether or not Pinkett Smith, who was seen on camera rolling her eyes at Rock’s joke comparing her buzzcut to the one Demi Moore sports in “G.I. Jane,” had urged him to charge the stage. The actor said his wife said nothing to spur him to go on stage and assault Rock. “It’s like, you know, I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences, from my history with Chris,” Smith says. “Jada had nothing to do with it. I’m sorry, babe. I want to say sorry to my kids and my family for the heat that I brought on all of us.”
“To all my fellow nominees, you know, this is a community, it’s like I won because you voted for me,” Smith said in the video. “And it really breaks my heart to have stolen and tarnished your moment. I can still see Questlove’s eyes. You know, it happened on Questlove’s award. And, you know, it’s like, ‘I’m sorry’ really isn’t sufficient.”
Rock has yet to respond to Smith’s apology but looks like the comedian has no intentions of hosting the Oscars again, anytime soon.