Oscars 2016: Chris Rock's ten most controversial jokes
Academy Awards host unleashed a series of quips about the ceremony's race row
Oscars host Chris Rock addressed the ceremony's race controversy with a series of jokes at last night's bash.
The Academy Awards gala was boycotted by several industry grandees in protest at the lack of ethnic diversity among this year's nominees – all 20 hopefuls in the best acting or supporting acting categories were white.
Opening the show, Rock, who had faced calls to join the boycotters himself, asked the star-studded crowd: "Is Hollywood racist? You're damn right Hollywood's racist."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But it was not "burning cross racist," he added. "It's a different type of racist".
His ten-minute monologue went on to address the controversy and other issues with a series of jokes. Here are ten of the sharpest barbs.
On his position as host: "I'm here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the white people's choice awards. You realise, if they nominated hosts, I wouldn't even get this job. You'd be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now."
On the campaign to ask women about more than their outfits on the red carpet: "You're not allowed to ask women what they're wearing anymore. It's a whole thing: you have to 'ask her more'. They ask the men more because the men are all wearing the same outfits… If George Clooney showed up with a lime green tux on and a swan coming out his ass, someone would ask, 'What are you wearing, George?'"
On Jamie Foxx's depiction of Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic: "Jamie Foxx was so good in Ray that they went to the hospital and unplugged the real Ray Charles. It's like, 'We don't need two of these.'"
On "my favourite actor in the world" Paul Giamatti: " Last year he's in 12 Years A Slave, hates black people; this year he's in Straight Outta Compton, loves black people. Last year he's whipping Lupita; this year he's crying at Eazy-E's funeral. Now that's range. Ben Affleck can't do that."
On race: "Things are changing. We got a black Rocky this year… That's a big statement because Rocky takes place in a world where white athletes are as good as black athletes. So Rocky is a science-fiction movie."
On why ethnic diversity has not been a hotter issue before: "I'm sure there was no black nominees some of those years - say '62, '63 - and black people did not protest. Why? Because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer."
On why he didn't join the boycott: "So I thought about quitting, I thought about it real hard, but I realised they're going to have the Oscars anyway; they're not going to cancel because I quit. The last thing I need is to lose another job to [fellow comedian] Kevin Hart."
On police violence: "This year things are going to be a little different at the Oscars. This year in the In Memoriam, it's just going to be black people who were shot by the cops on their way to the movies. Yes, I said it."
On the boycotters: "Jada [Pinkett Smith] boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited."
On Hollywood's racism: "Is Hollywood racist? You damn right Hollywood's racist. Hollywood is sorority racist. It's like, 'We like you, Rhonda, but you're not a Kappa'."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Wolfs: 'comedy thriller' stumbles despite George Clooney and Brad Pitt
Talking Point While the crime caper might 'pleasingly pass a Saturday night' its star-studded duo cannot ultimately salvage it
By The Week UK Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Turner Prize 2022: a ‘vintage’ shortlist?
Speed Read All four artists look towards ‘growth, revival and reinvention’ in their work
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
What’s on TV this Christmas? The best holiday television
Speed Read From films and documentaries to musicals for all the family
By The Week Staff Published
-
Coco vision: up close to Chanel opticals
Speed Read Parisian luxury house adds opticals to digital offering
By The Week Staff Published
-
Abba returns: how the Swedish supergroup and their ‘Abba-tars’ are taking a chance on a reunion
Speed Read From next May, digital avatars of the foursome will be performing concerts in east London
By The Week Staff Published