Editing Chris Rock (section)

==Academy Awards==
=== 2005 ceremony ===
In February 2005, Rock hosted the [[77th Academy Awards]] ceremony. The decision to have Rock host the awards was seen by some as a chance to bring an "edge" to the ceremony, and to make it more relevant or appealing to younger audiences. Jokingly, Rock opened by saying ''"Welcome to the 77th and LAST Academy Awards!"'' During one segment Rock asked, "Who is this guy?" in reference to actor [[Jude Law]] seemingly appearing in every movie Rock had seen that year and implied Law was a low-rent [[Tom Cruise]] (he made a joke about filmmakers rushing production when unable to get the actors they want: "If you want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law, wait [to make the film]!"). Subsequently, an angry [[Sean Penn]] took the stage to present and said, "In answer to our host's question, Jude Law is one of our finest young actors." (At the time, Penn and Law were shooting ''[[All the King's Men (2006 film)|All the King's Men]]''.) Law was not the only actor that Rock [[Roast (comedy)|roasted]] that evening, however—he turned the joke on himself at one point, saying, "If you want [[Denzel Washington|Denzel]] [Washington] and all you can get is me, wait!" Older Academy officials were reportedly displeased with Rock's performance, which did not elevate ratings for the ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/mar/02/awardsandprizes.oscars2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113094616/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2005/mar/02/awardsandprizes.oscars2005|url-status=dead|title=Chris Rock effect fails to boost Oscars|date=March 2, 2005|archive-date=November 13, 2012|website=The Guardian}}</ref> Rock was also criticized for referring to the Oscars as "idiotic", and asserting that heterosexual men do not watch them, in an interview prior to Oscar night.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/hey-chris-rock-shut-bleep-wbna6849862|title=Hey, Chris Rock: Shut the [bleep] up|date=February 3, 2005|access-date=November 10, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308105504/https://www.today.com/popculture/hey-chris-rock-shut-bleep-wbna6849862|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/Oscars-2005/Chris-Rock-Oscars-host-slams-Oscars/2005/02/16/1108500124826.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923063025/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Oscars-2005/Chris-Rock-Oscars-host-slams-Oscars/2005/02/16/1108500124826.html|url-status=dead|title="Chris Rock, Oscars host, slams Oscars"; ''Sydney Morning Herald''/Reuters; February 16, 2005|archive-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref>

=== 2016 ceremony ===
On October 21, 2015, the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] announced Rock would host the [[88th Academy Awards]] the following February.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34591581|title=Chris Rock to host 2016 Oscars|work=BBC News|access-date=June 21, 2018|archive-date=November 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105100158/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34591581|url-status=live}}</ref> When the subsequent acting nominations turned out to include no racial minorities, Rock was called upon to join a boycott of the ceremony. Rock declined, stating at the ceremony that it would have accomplished little since the show would have proceeded anyway, with him simply replaced.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Abad-Santos|first1=Alex|title=Oscars 2016: Chris Rock dismisses Oscars boycotts in a surprising, political monologue|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/2/28/11130954/oscars-2016-chris-rock-monologue|access-date=February 29, 2016|publisher=Vox|date=February 29, 2016|archive-date=March 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301092314/http://www.vox.com/2016/2/28/11130954/oscars-2016-chris-rock-monologue|url-status=live}}</ref> Instead, Rock spoke of his concerns about the lack of diversity in AMPAS at various times during the show, closing by saying "[[Black Lives Matter]]".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/oscars-2016-review-chris-rock-academy-awards-leonardo-dicaprio-spotlight-oscarssowhite-1201716087/ |title=TV Review: 'The 88th Academy Awards' |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=February 28, 2016 |access-date=May 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301092207/http://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/oscars-2016-review-chris-rock-academy-awards-leonardo-dicaprio-spotlight-oscarssowhite-1201716087/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Rock's performance was largely praised by critics. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' critic Mary McNamara wrote: "Rock's Oscars had some of the most powerful moments seen in the telecast's history. His decision to honestly answer the question 'Is Hollywood racist?' was brave and effective,"<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-chris-rock-oscars-reviews-reactions-20160229-story.html|title= How'd Chris Rock do?|website= Los Angeles Times|date= February 29, 2016|accessdate= May 30, 2021|archive-date= June 2, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214900/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-chris-rock-oscars-reviews-reactions-20160229-story.html|url-status= live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' television critic [[James Poniewozik]], praised Rock's performance for being "evenhanded without being wishy-washy" and that he represented "an example of something the industry is still trying to learn: that you can achieve both inclusion and entertainment by giving the right person just the right opportunity."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-chris-rock-oscars-reviews-reactions-20160229-story.html|title= How'd Chris Rock do? Critics (mostly) liked his Oscars performance|website= Los Angeles Times|date= February 29, 2016|accessdate= May 30, 2021|archive-date= June 2, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214900/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-chris-rock-oscars-reviews-reactions-20160229-story.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

=== 2022 ceremony ===
{{Main|Chris Rock–Will Smith slapping incident}}
Rock presented the award for [[Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature|Best Documentary Feature]] at the [[94th Academy Awards]] in March 2022. During the ceremony, Rock joked about [[Jada Pinkett Smith]]'s shaved head, which he compared to [[Demi Moore]]'s shaved head in ''[[G.I. Jane]]'', saying, "Jada, I love ya. ''G.I. Jane 2,'' can't wait to see it!". Pinkett Smith had shaved her head due to [[alopecia areata]]. Her husband, [[Will Smith]], responded to Rock's joke by walking onstage and slapping Rock, who remarked, "Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me." Smith then returned to his seat and yelled twice at Rock, "Keep my wife's name out your fucking mouth!" Rock went on to say that this "was the greatest night in the history of television."<ref>{{cite web |title=Watch the uncensored moment Will Smith smacks Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, drops F-bomb | date=March 27, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8 |via=YouTube |publisher=Guardian News |access-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329060337/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=France Respers |first1=Lisa |last2=Elam |first2=Stephanie |title=Will Smith appeared to strike Chris Rock on Oscars telecast |website=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/27/entertainment/will-smith-chris-rock/index.html |agency=CNN |date=March 28, 2022 |access-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328064453/https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/27/entertainment/will-smith-chris-rock/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars after joke at wife Jada Pinkett Smith's expense |author=ABC7 |date=March 27, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d7VvQcWscY |via=YouTube |access-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329034929/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d7VvQcWscY |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the night, Smith was named [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for ''[[King Richard (film)|King Richard]]''. In his acceptance speech, he apologized to the Academy and the other nominees, but not to Rock.<ref>{{Cite magazine|first=Ryan|last=Gajewksi|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/will-smith-oscar-best-actor-apology-slap-king-richard-1235119288/|title=Will Smith Tearfully Apologizes to Academy After Chris Rock Oscars Slap|magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=March 27, 2022|access-date=March 28, 2022|archive-date=March 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328051847/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/will-smith-oscar-best-actor-apology-slap-king-richard-1235119288/|url-status=live}}</ref> Rock declined to file a report with the [[Los Angeles Police Department]] regarding the incident.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=March 28, 2022 |title=Chris Rock Declines to File Police Report After Will Smith Slap at Oscars, LAPD Says |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/chris-rock-police-report-will-smith-slap-oscars-1235216542/ |access-date=March 28, 2022 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328050505/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/chris-rock-police-report-will-smith-slap-oscars-1235216542/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The next day, amid public backlash, Smith issued a formal apology to Rock via a public [[Instagram]] post, adding that "a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally." He also stated that "I was out of line" and that his behavior was "unacceptable and inexcusable."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Sandra |title=Will Smith issues apology to Chris Rock over slapping incident at Oscars |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/entertainment/will-smith-apology/index.html |agency=CNN |date=March 28, 2022 |access-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329001040/https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/entertainment/will-smith-apology/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> During a stand-up performance in Boston later that month, Rock stated that Smith had not reached out to him personally and they had not spoken since the ceremony.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Will Smith: Chris Rock's first comments since Oscars slap |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-60939316 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |agency=[[BBC]]}}</ref>