Chris Rock Turns Down Offer to Host 2023 Oscars After Will Smith Slap

In his recent stand-up performance, Chris Rock revealed that he was approached by the Academy to host the Academy Awards once again in 2023. However, he turned down the offer.

Even since he quit Saturday Night Live, Chris Rock has remained one of the most popular stand-up comedians in the business. He appeared in various stand-up specials in the late ’90s, after which he moved on to the big screen.

Rock appeared in the popular Madagascar films and directed his own Top Five in 2014. Rock has hosted the Academy Awards thrice till now: in 2005, in 2016, when the ceremony was called out as #OscarsSoWhite, and in 2022.

During the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock on stage when he cracked a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock’s joke was at the expense of Jada’s bald head, which she has been shaving since 2021 due to alopecia.

Though Smith publicly apologized to Rock for the incident, he received a 10-year ban from attending the Academy Awards. Rock has maintained his silence regarding the issue, only touching on his point of view in various stand-up appearances.

According to the AZ Central reports, Chris Rock addressed the Will Smith incident on a packed stand-up stage in Arizona on Sunday night. He revealed that he had received an offer from the Academy to host the 2023 Oscars, but turned it down.

Rock further explained that he has no intention of returning to the Oscars in the near future, comparing himself to O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife returning to her murder scene. Moreover, Rock revealed that he also turned down an offer by a major company to appear in a Super Bowl commercial.

Rock’s decision to turn down the Academy’s offer is understandable, as it is clear that he is still bothered and shaken by the events of this year. However, it is upsetting to know that we may not see an energetic host like Chris Rock come back to host the ceremony.

In 2005, Rock targeted his fellow Hollywood stars and even called out Jude Law for his ubiquity during the 2004 awards season. At the 2016 ceremony, Rock did not hesitate to call out the Academy for its lack of representation, diversity, and inclusivity.

It remains to be seen how the Academy will fill the position for the 2023 ceremony. As far as Rock is concerned, he seems to be done with the Oscars for a while now.