Here’s Why Chris Rock Declined the Offer to Be the Oscars’ 2023 Host

Chris Rock told the crowd at a Phoenix stand-up show this week that he was offered to host the 2023 Oscars, following the incident in which Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped him across the face.

According to AZ Central, the comedian declined the gig, as it would be like returning to the scene of a crime, referencing the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, whose ex-wife’s killing started out by leaving her mother’s glasses at an Italian restaurant. Rock said returning to the Oscars would be like asking Nicole Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant.”

The tense moment in March occurred after Rock made an onstage joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, during the Academy Awards ceremony. “Jada, I love you. G.I Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” the comedian said about her shaved head — which, unbeknownst to Rock, is caused by the actress’ struggles with alopecia.

Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes in response, while Smith laughed. Shortly after, the King Richard actor stormed the stage to slap Rock, who attempted to continue his banter before Smith began shouting from his seat, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth.”

Smith apologized for his behavior in a formal statement posted to his Instagram on March 28; he additionally resigned from his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has been banned from the Oscars and related Academy event for 10 years.

In July, Smith uploaded a video to YouTube, apologizing further. “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that, he’s not ready to talk. When he is, he will reach out. I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I am here whenever you are ready to talk,” he said.

Smith continued, “I want to apologize to Chris’s mother. I saw an interview [she] did, and that was one of the things I just didn’t realize. I wasn’t thinking, but how many people got hurt in that moment. I want to apologize to Chris’ mother, I want to apologize to Chris’s family, specifically Tony Rock. We had a great relationship. Tony Rock was my man. This is probably irreparable. I spent the last three months replaying and understanding the nuance and complexity of what happened in that moment. I’m not going to try to unpack all of that right now, but I can say to all of you, there is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment. No part of me that thinks that is the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insult.”

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Beyonce Narrates New Gatorade Ad to Celebrate Serena Williams’ Final U.S. Open

In tennis, “love” means nothing. But in a new Gatorade ad narrated by Beyoncé to celebrate the final U.S. Open appearance from tennis legend Serena Williams, “Love Means Everything.”

That’s the title of the new commercial, which shows women of all ages who are dancers, fencers, roller skaters, equestrians and everything in between who have been inspired by the magnificent career and life story of Williams. The ad debuted during Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards ahead of Monday’s (Aug. 29) first day of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament, which Williams announced in a Vogue essay earlier this month would be her final tournament as a professional player.

“When the world writes her down in history, we’ll begin where she started: at love,” Bey begins her narration. “No points, zero score — just love. It’s a love that we’ll remember through the generations, a love that started a movement, a movement to always love exactly who you are and who you can be. To be so in love with your identity that your very essence cannot be contained. To love the sound of your own voice and the way you move. To feel like a queen unapologetically, with a crown indefinitely. To cherish every muscle and every curve your body exhibits. A movement to always love being a proud Black woman, a parent, a dreamer, a leader. To love being one of a kind. To always love being you. The whole you. The real you. You. You. You. To always love you.

“So when we write her down in history, no matter who you are, no matter where you are, we’ll remember what she’s shown us,” Beyoncé concludes. “A movement to love you.”

With that, the commercial’s “Love Means Everything” motto flashes across the screen.

Beyoncé and Williams have long been champions of one another, with the tennis star hitting the stage during Bey’s Formation World Tour for “Sorry,” the Lemonade song whose music video Serena also appears in. Queen B and husband Jay-Z, meanwhile, can often be spotted in the crowd at Williams’ matches, and Beyoncé contributed the Oscar-nominated song “Be Alive” to King Richard, the 2021 biopic that Serena and Venus Williams executive produced.

Watch the full commercial below:

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2022 VMA Red Carpet Moments: Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X, Yung Gravy, Lizzo & More | Billboard News

Here were some of the biggest VMA red carpet moments from Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Yung Gravy and more!

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Will the 2 DeSantis-backed Miami school board members be independent? Some are asking

Around this time last year, the Miami-Dade School Board, under then-Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, defied Gov. Ron DeSantis and his ban on school mask mandates, requiring students and staff to wear … Click to Continue »
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Miami-Dade judge sets release terms for the driver in Palmetto crash that killed 5

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Meet these 14 Hispanic women who are making a big difference in South Florida

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Flooding looms large again in Mississippi’s capital city

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Benny Boom On Directing Nicki Minaj’s Music Videos, Most Iconic VMA Moment & More | 2022 Video Music Awards

Music video director Benny Boom talks about directing some music videos for Video Vanguard recipient Nicki Minaj and the most iconic VMA moment.

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Bad Bunny Brings His World’s Hottest Tour to 2022 VMAs With ‘Titi Me Pregunto’

After making history at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards by becoming the first Latin artist to win artist of the year, Bad Bunny brought part of his current World’s Hottest Tour to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Sunday night (Aug. 28).

Broadcast live from his tour stop at Yankee Stadium, the Puerto Rican artist performed his energetic dembow track “Titi Me Pregunto” joined by his diverse dance group and surrounded by thousands of ecstatic fans at the venue. This marks the reggaeton phenom’s second VMAs appearance. His first, three years ago, was a joint performance with J Balvin of “Que Pretendes.”

Bunny, who was a four-time nominee, received his Moon Person trophy from the Yankee Stadium stage. “From my heart, I don’t have words to descibe what I feel and the pride of receiving this at the Yankee Stadium,” he said. “I always knew that I could become a huge artist without changing my culture, my slang, and my language. I am Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, from Puerto Rico to the world.”

The Puerto Rican act’s “Titi Me Pregunto” was also nominated for in the best Latin category, which was nabbed by Anitta’s “Envolver.” Un Verano Sin Ti was nominated for album of the year, which Harry Styles won with Harry’s House, and his Chencho Corleone-assisted “Me Porto Bonito” up for song of the summer. The track is currently in its 14th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.

The 2022 VMAs were held on Sunday, Aug. 28, at 8 p.m. ET from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The show was the first broadcast from that venue three years ago. For the third year in a row, the VMAs simulcasted on The CW Network, making the show available to an expanded broadcast audience, in addition to BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1.

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Dixie D’Amelio On Most Iconic VMA Moment, Balancing Busy Life, Advice to Other Artists & More | 2022 Video Music Awards

Dixie D’Amelio talks about how she balances all her different project, the most iconic VMA moments, advice to other aspiring artists and more on the 2022 VMA red capret.

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