Chris Rock allegedly received an offer to host the 2023 Academy Awards and refused to accept. It comes after Will Smith slapped him on stage during this year’s award ceremony.
Multiple sources told Entertainment Tonight that the 57-year-old comedian made the revelation during a show in Phoenix on Sunday. He also reportedly talked about a Super Bowl commercial offer that he declined.
It is alleged that Rock compared hosting the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime. He is said to have made a reference to the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, who was accused of killing his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
The outlet quoted an eyewitness, claiming, “Chris joked… and said that it would be similar to asking Nicole Brown Simpson to go back to the Italian restaurant where she left her glasses.”
The informant also revealed to ET that Chris Rock continued to make light of the incident during his show. He reportedly talked about the infamous slap incident for “a few minutes in a joking way,” although he kept it “short and classy.”
But while the “Saturday Night Live” alum now speaks about what happened back in March on his shows, sources told the outlet that he has no plans to tackle the matter in sit-down interviews.
As claimed, Rock said to his audience that “he will never do a sit down interview with anyone, like Oprah or any big outlet, and complain or speak about what happened, because he will never be a victim.”
Following the claims, an official comment has yet to emerge from the comedian’s camp. He has not addressed the incident and all related reports since it happened earlier this year.
Similarly, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has not released any statement yet, confirming whether it made a hosting offer to the "Grown Ups" actor.
Meanwhile, Will Smith has talked about the incident and apologized to Chris Rock a couple of times in the last few months, with the latest emerging through his YouTube Channel at the near end of July.
The video, titled “It’s been a minute…,” served as the “Aladdin” star’s first time addressing the infamous slap on camera. He shared that he had reached out to the “SNL” alum and revealed that “the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out.”
In response to it, Smith said, “So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”