Chris Rock Declined Hosting 2023 Oscars Following Will Smith Slap

It looks like Chris Rock will not be hosting the 2023 Oscars.

According to reports, Rock turned down the invitation following the 'slap heard across the world.' Rock describes returning to the awards as the same as "returning to the scene of a crime. " He says, “He’s bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”

The Academy Award CEO, Bill Kramer, says, "we want to move forward and to have an Oscars that celebrates cinema. That’s our focus right now, but it’s really about moving forward." In hopes of in fact moving forward, Will Smith did say he reached out to Chris Rock. "I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out. 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."

Now on the other hand, Chris Rock says he is not a victim. If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith … I went to work the next day, I got kids."