Actor/comedian Chris Rock hosted the 88th annual Academy Awards amid controversy. Rock’s opening monologue spared no one
Rock said the reason why blacks didn’t protest similar “white-outs” in the ‘60s, is because they were “too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer.”
“Why all the protests this year? This is the 88th Academy Awards and I’m sure this has happened at least 71 times before. I’m sure there were years in the ’50s and ’60s where black people didn’t get nominated. But we had better things to protest. We were too busy getting raped and lynched to care who was up for best cinematographer. When your grandma is swinging from a tree, It’s kind of hard to worked up about best foreign film.”
In describing “liberal Hollywood” Rock used a spot on analogy to explain this particular brand of racism, calling it “sorority racist.”
“Is Hollywood racist? You’re damn right. But Hollywood is sorority racist. It’s like, ‘We like you, Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.'”
Chris Rock tackled actress Jada Smith’s call to boycott the Oscars using he and Rihanna’s panties as the example.
“Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited … Is it fair that Will didn’t get nominated for Concussion? No. But it’s also not fair that he got paid $20 million for Wild Wild West.”
Chris Rock’s Jada & Rihanna joke https://t.co/S1zSxFyq5o
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) February 29, 2016
Chris Rock on why he still hosted the ceremony amid calls for a boycott:
“I thought about quitting, but it’s not like they’re going to not have the Oscars. And the last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart. Dude works fast. Porno actors don’t work that fast.”
Chris Rock on “Creed”
“Things are changing. We got a Black Rocky. Some people call it Creed, but I call it Black Rocky. It takes place where white athletes are as good as black athletes. Rocky is science fiction. There are things that happen in Star Wars that are more believable than Rocky.”
Morgan Freeman was just there for the free Girl Scout cookies.
the way Morgan Freeman goes in for those cookies is hilarious to me pic.twitter.com/S7GiqEUOmq
— everything i’m not (@No_Cut_Card) February 29, 2016
Rock went to Compton to discuss the movies.
.@ChrisRock goes to Compton to talk movies. #Oscarshttps://t.co/Tj8sEaVbDb
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 29, 2016
He managed to work Stacey Dash into the ceremony.
New Academy director of diversity outreach #oscars pic.twitter.com/EqXgrDodQi
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) February 29, 2016
Chris Rock closing the show inviting everyone to the BET Awards this summer and reminding them that “Black Lives Matter.”
To watch Rock’s opening head to Page 2.
