Chris Rock responded to Will Smith’s on-stage slap at the Academy Awards five months later, shocking millions of people watching around the world.
The comedian said that he had been asked to host the Oscars the following year while making fun of the audience at a stand-up show in Phoenix on Sunday night, according to the Arizona Republic.
However, he declined the offer, suggesting that it would be like going to a crime scene after missing Hollywood’s biggest night.
Rock reportedly told the crowd that he declined it and a Super Bowl advertisement. He claimed that Smith’s smack “hurt.”
The comedian’s sold-out audience was reportedly anxious to hear his perspective on the incident, with one fan reportedly yelling, “Talk about it!” Smith received his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 drama Ali, which Rock continued to mention.
Rock said, “He’s bigger than me.” “A fight between Will Smith and I would not be approved by the state of Nevada.”
In response to Rock’s comments, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose not to respond.
