Will Smith has been banned from the ceremony for the next 10 years, but ABC’s President of Entertainment has welcomed Rock to host with open arms.
As Will Smith takes a step back and reportedly reassesses what landed him on the wrong side of Hollywood, things are looking up for Chris Rock. The comedian was the victim of Smith’s Academy Awards smack that stunned the industry, but it was reported that the Fresh Prince icon was somewhere overseas seeking help. Rock, on the other hand, has been waist-deep into his comedy tour as he briefly mentions the incident without detail.
As a result of the assault, the Academy has decided to ban Smith from their events for 10 years, but Rock could be welcomed as host as soon as 2023.
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According to Deadline, the Academy has already lined up the date for its next ceremony, and Craig Erwich, President of Entertainment at ABC, told the outlet that they are open to having Rock return—but as the show’s host. Even with the snafu between Smith and Rock, Erwich insists that the Oscars were “really successful” this year.
“My assessment of the Oscars was that it was really a successful year for the show. Obviously there was a lot of controversy, which overshadowed a lot of the positive things about the show, but I was really happy with the program,” he said. “Even before that very unfortunate moment, the show started off up year over year, and we came back in a big way.”
“It was the biggest bounce-back of any award show this season. If you look at what they were trying to do, which is really bring entertainment back to the program, they had three amazing hosts, clips, and incredible musical performances, I thought it was a great way for the show to reclaim its place on the mantle. There’s always things to learn and we’ll endeavor to do even better next year.”
Next year’s Oscars ceremony will take place at Ovation Hollywood on March 12, 2023. Do you think Chris Rock should host next year?
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