Comedian Chris Rock admitted Sunday during a stand-up show in Phoenix that he turned down a proposal made to him by the Hollywood Academy to host the Oscars in 2023. Rock declined to host the gala again due to the slapping he received from actor Will Smith at last year's edition, after mocking the shaved head of his wife, actress Jada Pinkett.
According to The Arizona Republic, Rock said Smith's punch hurt, making a gestural reference to how Smith had played boxer Muhammad Ali in a movie. In addition, he compared returning to the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime. He even made a shocking allusion to the murder of the wife of former sports star and fellow actor O. J. Simpson, Nicole Brown, who was killed when she returned to a restaurant to get some glasses.
"It's bigger than me," Rock expressed. "The state of Nevada would not approve of a fight between Will Smith and me."
For its part, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has not confirmed whether it has asked Rock to host the gala again.
