Comedian Chris Rock joked about the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson during a comedy show and her sister publicly called him out for it.
Rock revealed that was asked to host the 2023 Academy Awards last week at one of his comedy performances in Arizona. The “Everybody Hates Chris” producer was slapped at the event while presenting this year, when Will Smith attacked him for making a snide remark about Jada Pinkett Smith’s “G.I. Jane” shaved head.
The Arizona Republic reported that the comedian turned down the hosting gig, when he joked that it would be like asking Brown Simpson “to go back to the restaurant” where left her glasses right before her 1994 murder.
“Nothing funny about his joke towards Jada as she suffers from a physical condition and nothing funny about equating an Oscar host invitation to a double homicide,” Tanya Brown posted on Instagram.
Simpson Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were brutally murdered at her Brentwood, California residence in 1997. Her husband, former NFL star O.J. Simpson, was charged with double homicide, but later acquitted after a trial that captivated the nation.
“I always thought he was funny, but he crossed the line with this one,” Tanya said of Rock. “In other words, Y’all!!!! Stop using my sister, OJ and Ron part of your cricking comedy act. There are families behind this tragedy!”
Rock spoke about the attack again on Saturday, when he said “f*ck your hostage video,” in response to the teary apology video Smith posted on YouTube in July.
Rock reiterated that the “King Richard” actor packs a mean punch. “Yes that sh*t hurt. He played Ali, I can’t even play Floyd Mayweather,” he joked.
Smith played the legendary boxer in 2001’s “Ali.” Ironically, he was nominated for his first ever Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal, but did not take the golden statue home until this year, when he won in the same category minutes after slapping Rock.