Chris Rock Declines Oscars 2023 Hosting Gig (Report)

Earlier this year, comedian Chris Rock made major headlines after he was slapped by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars.

Would he ever consider hosting the show next year?

According to AZCentral, during his stand-up show on Sunday at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, Chris revealed that he was invited to host next year, but declined.

Rock said he felt that if he hosted, it would be like returning to the scene of a crime.

He referenced the murder of O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. In 1994, Simpson left her sunglasses at an Italian restaurant. Waiter Ron Goldman later came to her house to return the sunglasses, but they were gruesomely murdered at her Brentwood, California, home. While O.J. was charged with the murders, he was acquitted.

According to Rock, if he returned the Oscars as a host next year, it would be like asking Nicole “to go back to the restaurant.”

Rock also discussed the slap itself, admitting that it hurt. He joked, “He’s bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has not commented on Rock’s comments about the hosting invitation.

Rock also revealed that he has been offered a Super Bowl commercial, but has said no.

In March, Smith was slammed for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars over a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.

In July, Rock spoke out after Smith released an apology video on YouTube.

CNN reported that Rock, on his Chris Rock Ego Death world tour in Atlanta, said, "Everybody is trying to be a f**king victim," which appeared to be a swipe at Smith's video. "If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims."

He went on to joke, "Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith... I went to work the next day. I got kids."