Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Chris Rock Just Explained Why He Turned Down An Offer To Host The Oscars–And We Get It

Chris Rock Just Explained Why He Turned Down An Offer To Host The Oscars–And We Get It
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for National Board of Review

For better or worse, comedian Chris Rock is likely the most famous Oscars host of all time after the slapping incident between him and Will Smith at this year's ceremony.

But if you're eager to see Rock host the ceremony again, don't hold your breath.


Rock says he has no interest, despite being asked to return in 2023 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

During a stand-up set in Phoenix, Arizona, Rock likened returning to the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime, using an analogy about OJ Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson's murder that was equal parts evocative and shocking.

Rock reportedly told the crowd asking him to host the Oscars would be like asking Brown Simpson "to go back to the restaurant," a reference to the Mezzaluna restaurant in Los Angeles where Brown Simpson was last seen before she was murdered.

A waiter from the restaurant, Ron Goldman, was also murdered at her home that night after going there to return eyeglasses Brown Simpson's mother had left on their table during dinner earlier that evening.

Seemingly disinterested in capitalizing on the incident between him and Smith, Rock also revealed in his set he was offered a Super Bowl commercial, which he also declined.

Rock did open up a bit about the now infamous incident, in which Smith slapped Rock on live television during the Oscars after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss.

He told the crowd the slap hurt, noting Smith had played champion boxer Muhammad Ali in 2001's Ali.

Rock quipped:

“He’s bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”

Given the nonstop media circus that ensued after the slap, it's easy to understand why Rock isn't eager to take the Oscars stage again.

But his joke about Nicole Brown Simpson did not go over well with many on social media.




Others felt the uproar over his Simpson joke spoke to a double standard given many who defended Rock in the wake of the Oscars slap defended his mocking of Pinkett Smith.


The slapping incident may have been unfortunate, but it seems to have been a boon to the Oscars and the network that airs the ceremony, ABC.

The network's President of Entertainment Craig Erwich told Deadline in May the telecast "came back in a big way" this year after years of declining viewership.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Donald Trump; Superman (2025) poster
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Warner Bros. Pictures

White House Blasted After Portraying Trump As Superman In Bonkers Poster Mock-up

The White House was mercilessly mocked online after it posted a revised poster for the latest Superman film that features President Donald Trump as the Man of Steel.

The latest big screen adaptation of the famed superhero comic, Superman, was directed by James Gunn and stars David Corenswet as the titular superhero, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The film has received positive reviews and has already made an estimated $2.8 million from Tuesday previews for a total $21 million, including Thursday previews.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Charlie Kirk
Real America's Voice

MAGA Influencer Charlie Kirk Called Out After Blaming DEI For High Death Toll In Texas Flooding Disaster

Turning Point USA founder and MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk was harshly criticized after he claimed the death toll in the flash floods that have devastated central Texas "would not have been as high if it wasn't for DEI," ridiculously suggesting that principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion were responsible.

Kirk's comments are reflective of President Donald Trump’s broader push to dismantle federal programs focused on diversity and inclusion—part of what he pledged in his inaugural address would be a campaign to stop attempts to “socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.”

Keep ReadingShow less

People Reveal The Dark Secrets They Discovered About Someone After They Died

Sometimes you never know who someone is until they're gone.

Everyone has their secrets.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jesse Watters; Hakeem Jeffries
Fox News; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jesse Watters Pathetically Tries To Burn Hakeem Jeffries With Bizarre 'Rule For Men' Rant

Fox News personality Jesse Watters was widely mocked after he criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for having recently shared a photo of himself on Instagram that appeared to be digitally altered—with the bench he was leaning against noticeably warped around his hips.

You can see Jeffries' photo below.

Keep ReadingShow less
Snoop Dogg
Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images

Snoop Dogg's Puppy Instagram Breaks Internet

Snoop Dogg introduced his fans to the newest little bow-wow in his household, a puppy named Baby Boy Broadus.

The adorable small tan French bulldog made his debut on the rapper’s Instagram account on June 28th, sporting a Louis Vuitton leash and chewing on his owner’s Death Row Jacket.

Keep ReadingShow less