Chris Rock says he declined offer to host 2023 Oscars after Will Smith slap

During a stand up show on Sunday, Rock told the audience that he refused the proposal to host the Awards for the third time, citing an incident in March where actor Will Smith slapped him on stage. 

According to the Arizona Republic, the comedian opined that accepting the invitation would be like returning to a crime scene. 

Additional reports indicated that Rock also said he had turned down an offer to appear in a Super Bowl commercial after the incident and noted that Smith's slap had been physically painful.

“He's bigger than me. A fight between Will Smith and I would not be approved by the state of Nevada,” Rock was quoted by Arizona Republic. 

During the 2022 Oscars in March, Will Smith approached Rock on the stage, slapped and hurled insults at him after he made a joke about the actor's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Will would later apologise to Rock, the Academy, his family and the cast and team of 'King Richard' - the film Smith had won a Best Actor grant for in the Oscars.

In July, Will shared an apology video stating that he had been "doing a lot of thinking and personal work."