Chris Rock took on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during his opening monologue at the Oscars on Sunday, and he didn't hold back. The host took jabs at racism in Hollywood, the lack of diversity in this year's acting nominations and the Oscars boycott, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"No black nominees. People are like, 'Chris you should boycott, Chris you should quit.' How come it's only unemployed people that tell you to quit something? ... I thought about quitting. I thought about it really hard. But I realized they're gonna have the Oscars anyway. They're not gonna cancel the Oscars because I quit. And the last thing I need is to to lose another job to Kevin Hart, OK?" Chris quipped, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The comedian then joked about how black people didn't protest the Oscars in the 1960s "because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being lynched to care about Best Cinematography," according to The Wrap.
Rock then took aim at Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who called for an Oscars boycott due to its lack of diversity.
"Everybody went mad [this year] ... Jada [Pinkett Smith] got mad. Jada said she's not coming. Isn't she on a TV show? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited," said Rock.
"I understand you're mad. I'm not hating. ... Jada's mad her man Will [Smith] was not nominated for 'Concussion.' I get it ... It's not fair that Will was this good and didn't get nominated. You're right. It's also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for 'Wild Wild West,' OK?" he added.
Watch the full opening monologue below:
