Sheree Zampino: Will Smith is in a 'good place' after Oscars drama

Ethan Shanfeld After being slapped by Will Smith onstage at the Oscars, Chris Rock says the Academy has asked him to host next year’s award ceremony. Performing a show in Phoenix on Aug. 28, Rock told the crowd that he turned down the offer, per The Arizona Republic. The comedian apparently joked that his return to the Oscars would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant,” a reference to the murder trial of O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, who left her glasses at an Italian restaurant before being killed. Throughout his 90-minute stand-up comedy show, Rock said the Oscars slap hurt, noting that Smith played boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 movie “Ali.”

Chris Rock hasn't shied away from any public appearances – or speaking out – since the now infamous 2022 Oscars, when Will Smith walked up on stage and slapped him.MORE: Will Smith jokes about difficulty of returning to social media after Oscars slapThough the comedian has appeared to try his best to move on from the incident, continuing with his stand-up shows and even joking about the altercation, one stage he isn't quite ready to face again is the very own Oscars' stage.During one of his own comedy shows on Sunday, 29 August, Chris opened up about where he stands with the Academy, and made the shocking revelation that he had been offered the hosting position for the next year's awards show.WATCH: Chris stars in AmsterdamMORE: Chris Rock shares exciting personal news after Will Smith's emotional apology videoThe confession came during his stand-up show at the Arizona Financial Theatre in downtown Phoenix, and was first reported by the Arizona Republic.Per the publication, the 57-year-old revealed that he had been asked by the Academy to host the 2023 Oscars, though he declined the offer.It would have been Chris' third time hosting the awards ceremony. He previously led the show in 2005 and 2016.

Chris Rock, 57, has reportedly said he was asked by the Academy to host next year’s Oscars, but that he turned the opportunity down.The star discussed the apparent offer during his stand-up routine, five months after he was slapped across the face by Will Smith, 53, live on stage.Earlier this year, the King Richard actor shocked onlookers as he stormed across the stage to smack the comedian after he made a joke at the expense of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50.While the star has since apologised, the story rocked the world of showbiz for weeks on end, with many celebrities and other famous faces offering their perspectives on the altercation.Chris told his fans at a Phoenix stand-up gig that he had since been asked to host the award show, but explained why he didn’t think it would be a good idea.The Everybody Hates Chris actor joked to his audience that returning to the award ceremony would be like returning to a crime scene, according to a report from Arizona Republic. The comedian went on to jibe that coming back to host the Hollywood awards show would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson to "go back to the restaurant".This was in reference to the events that led to Nicole’s death and the infamous OJ Simpson trial that followed.The late mother-of-two ate at LA restaurant Mezzaluna Trattoria before she was murdered that evening in her Los Angeles home at the age of 35.The joke was made with a nod to the dramatic events surrounding the slap from the beloved Independence Day actor, which shook the world of Hollywood. Rock reportedly added that he had been offered to star in a Super Bowl commercial following the incident, but turned that down as well.Express.co.uk has contacted the Academy for comment.On March 27, viewers

Oscars ceremony.The comedian, 57, performed at a stand-up gig in Arizona’s Financial Theatre on Sunday (August 28) when he revealed that he declined the opportunity to host the awards show again.Chris made the alleged claim five months after being infamously slapped at this year’s event by Will Smith following a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.READ MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence on Chris Rock's Oscars swipe after Will Smith slapIn March, Will, 53, stormed the stage and smacked the comedian in the face in front of many star-studded guests and millions of viewers.According to the Arizona Republic, Chris told fans at his Phoenix stand-up gig of the Academy’s approach to him being a possible host.Chris, who previously hosted the Oscars in 2005 and 2016, allegedly said returning to the award ceremony would be like returning to a crime scene.He made light-heart of the incident and teased how making a return to one of the biggest nights in Hollywood would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant,” referencing the events that led to her death and the subsequent OJ Simpson murder trial.The Grown Ups actor also informed that he was asked to do a Super Bowl commercial following the slap, which he also rejected.

Chris Rock said it was not a difficult decision to turn down hosting the Oscars next year. The comedian was famously slapped by Will Smith at this year’s ceremony after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. Rock revealed during the Phoenix, Arizona, leg of his stand-up tour that the Academy had approached him to return to the show next year, Arizona Republic reported.

Oscars, but turned the opportunity after he was infamously slapped by Will Smith during this year’s ceremony.As the Arizona Republic reports, during a stand-up show in Phoenix over the weekend, Rock said he refused the invitation and joked that it would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant” she ate at on the evening she was murdered at her Los Angeles home.Rock also reportedly said that he had been offered to star in a Super Bowl commercial following the incident, but turned that down as well – and noted that Smith’s slap was physically painful. “He’s bigger than me,” Rock said of the Ali star.

Chris Rock publicly confirmed this week that, after the infamous slap from Will Smith at least year’s Oscars, he turned down an offer from AMPAS to host next year’s show.

Chris Rock will not be returning to the Academy Awards as a host. During the comedian’s Sunday night show in Phoenix, Rock shared with the audience that he was asked to host next year’s Oscar Awards ceremony, which he denied, according to the Arizona Republic. Rock, 57, made a joke to the crowd and compared returning to the Academy Awards to Nicole Brown Simpson’s death.

Months after Will Smith slapped him on the Oscar stage, Chris Rock revealed during a stand-up performance the Academy asked him to host the Oscars.Rock, 57, was performing stand-up comedy in Phoenix at the Arizona Financial Theatre on Sunday, when he revealed that he declined to return to host.The comedian, who previously hosted the Oscars in 2005 and 2016, essentially compared returning to the Dolby Theatre like returning to the scene of a crime. No host: Months after Will Smith slapped him on the Oscar stage, Chris Rock revealed during a stand-up performance the Academy asked him to host the OscarsRock said that asking him to go back would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson, 'to go back to the restaurant,' referencing the late wife of O.J.

That’s a hard pass. Chris Rock said he rejected an offer to host the 2023 Oscars during a Phoenix comedy show.

Arizona Republic, the “Everybody Hates Chris” alum told the crowd that going back to the Oscars would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant” where she left her eyeglasses before she killed, in a reference to the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted in the case. His rejected hosting duties would’ve come a year after Will Smith, 53, walked on stage on March 27 and slapped him at the Academy Awards for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, about looking like “G.I.

Chris Rock has revealed that he was offered an opportunity to host the Oscars once again for 2023.

Chris Rock to be emceeing the Oscars anytime soon. According to multiple eyewitness, Rock revealed during his Sunday night show in Phoenix, that he was asked to host next year's show, but refused.As many will remember, it was at the 2022 Academy Awards that Will Smith slapped Rock in the face after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith before presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature. «Chris Rock said he was asked to host next year's Academy Awards at his Sunday night show at Arizona Financial Theatre, and that he refused the offer,» the eyewitness shared. «He also noted that he was offered the chance to do a Super Bowl commercial that he also declined.»Eyewitnesses also told ET that Rock compared hosting the Oscars to returning to the scene of a crime, referencing the murder trial of O.J.

Chris Rock won’t be returning to the Academy Awards anytime soon.

Will Smith is fiercely protective of his family – as became clear after his appearance at the Oscars this year. The world was shocked after he slapped host Chris Rock, who made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, who suffers from alopecia. MORE: Will Smith reveals his heart 'shattered' when son Jaden made a shock requestHe subsequently issued an apology, and his family have all shown their support for him - with both Jada and his son Jaden speaking out.Just months before the incident, the award-winning actor released his memoir, Will, where he opened up about his family life - and some of the lessons he learnt through his children. One that stood out in particular was when his daughter Willow, 21, went to drastic measures to alter her own hair in a bid to stop touring.VIDEO: Will Smith prepares to take a dive into the deepest swimming pool on earthWillow gained global success following the release of her hit song Whip My Hair, and signed up for a month-long tour opening for Justin Bieber.MORE: Inside Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's jaw-dropping £32.3million mansionMORE: Will Smith hailed a 'hero' as he shares video of terrifying encounter during family timeThe talented singer wasn't enjoying the tour and told her dad she wanted to stop at the end of the European leg of the trip.However, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star told his daughter that was not possible because she had upcoming dates in Australia.

Will Smith has spoken of the heartbreak he felt when his son Jaden asked to become an emancipated minor at the age of 15.MORE: Inside Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's jaw-dropping £32.3million mansionThe actor, who starred alongside his son in the box office dud After Earth, revealed how he felt his son was "betrayed" by his father's actions after it was Will who had "coached" him through the film.WATCH: Will Smith prepares to take a dive in the deepest swimming pool on earth"After Earth was an abysmal box office and critical failure, and what was worse was that Jaden took the hit. Fans and the press were absolutely vicious; they said and printed things about Jaden that I refuse to repeat.

Wilson Chapman editor After an even more dramatic Oscars season than usual — with controversy over categories being excluded from the show and a shocking unplanned slap largely overshadowing the rest of the ceremony — newly appointed Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer wants to move forward. “We want to move forward and have an Oscars that celebrates cinema,” Kramer said when asked during a conference call with multiple publications on Monday if there is a plan for next year’s Oscars to address the on-stage altercation between Chris Rock and Will Smith. “That’s our focus right now, it’s really about moving forward.” Kramer, who was appointed as CEO of the Academy last month, spoke to journalists from multiple publications on Monday to discuss his plans for the Academy going forward and the preliminary discussions the organization has had with ABC for the 2023 Oscars ceremony, which will be the award show’s 95th anniversary.

Months after Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards in March, the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" alum appears to be feeling more optimistic. "Will is feeling much more confident and much more positive and less depressed," a source tells "Entertainment Tonight." "He was in very low spirits prior to making his public apology," the source continued.

Vanessa Bryant being awarded $16 million to Shakira’s ex Gerard Pique locking lips with his new girlfriend- but it’s been just as exciting on TikTok. With the weekend around the corner, we have a round-up of the 10 best celebrity TikToks of the week.Madonna, who just celebrated her birthday, may officially be the winner of the “Teenage Dirtbag” trend.