Chris Rock is tonight’s host for the 2016 Oscars and the comedian did not disappoint with his opening monologue.
With controversy surrounding the event, particularly a spotlight on a non-diverse nomination pool, Rock touched on the fact that #OscarsSoWhite is totally legitimate. However, he also thinks the protesting aspect of the whole thing is kind of a joke… or does he?
https://twitter.com/chrisrock/status/704105307731931136
Dressed in a white jacket (which by the way, was definitely not a coincidence), Rock singles out Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband Will Smith, who was snubbed for his film Concussion. His thoughts on her boycott, however, were questionable.
“Jada [Pinkett Smith] boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. You can’t boycott something no one invited you to.”
Then, the burn got worse: If he wants it all about merit, can we complain about the $20 million he got for Wild Wild West?”
He also called out Hollywood for being racist – specifically “sorority racist.” He elaborates, “We like you Rhonda… but you’re not a Kappa.” Yikes.
On a more serious note, the popular comedian commented on a larger issue currently plaguing the American public: “This year, in the in memoriam package, it’s just going to be black people that were shot on their way to the movies.”
If you didn’t cringe hearing that, you weren’t listening.
Apparently his biting words were far from surprising; Harvery Weinstein, the co-chief of The Weinstein Co. knew it was coming. “I just can imagine Chris Rock’s opening remarks,” he explained. If anybody’s [planning on] boycotting the Oscars, don’t, because Chris Rock is gonna annihilate every one of us in the first 20 minutes of the show, and it will be well worth watching. It will be an Oscars to remember.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHPQpConils
Reactions on Twitter vary:
https://twitter.com/PhillyD/status/704118768113315844
https://twitter.com/rj4gui4r/status/704118647099301888
https://twitter.com/corimurray/status/704118631215403009
https://twitter.com/curlycomedy/status/704119445275410432
https://twitter.com/AndyKindler/status/704119492045991937
https://twitter.com/ThePerezHilton/status/704118758223155201
