Chris Rock says he was asked to host the Academy Awards next year after he was slapped on stage by fellow actor Will Smith while presenting an award on stage at the ceremony in March.
Rock, who previously hosted the Oscars in 2005 and 2016, revealed the invite during a standup show in Phoenix on Sunday, according to The Arizona Republic.
Rock purportedly told the crowd he turned it down, along with a Super Bowl commercial. He said the slap from Smith “hurt.”
“He’s bigger than me,” Rock said. “The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith.”
CNN has reached out to Rock’s representative and the Academy for comment.
Smith walked on stage at the Oscars and hit the comedian in the face after he made a joke about Smith’s wife’s shaved head. Jada Pinkett Smith suffers hair loss due to alopecia, an autoimmune condition that can lead to hair loss.
Smith was banned from Academy related events for 10 years and apologized. In a video last month, the actor said he was “deeply remorseful” about the incident.
“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,” Smith said. “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.”
