Chris Rock’s Best Jokes of the Oscars

Chris Rock was entirely tight-lipped about what he'd say as host of the most controversial Oscars in recent history—and he nailed it.
Chris Rock’s Best Jokes of the Oscars
Cindy Drukier
2/28/2016
Updated:
3/1/2016

Chris Rock was entirely tight-lipped about what he'd say as host of the most controversial Oscars in recent history—and he nailed it. He walked the fine line between poignant observation, rapier wit, fearlessness, and activism. It was one of the most hilarious opening monologues in memory to boot.

From the get-go he dove right into the #OscarsSoWhite minefield by calling the Academy Awards the “white people’s choice awards,” then he noted the number of black faces shown in the opening montage of film clips.

“Man, I counted at least 15 black people in that montage.” 

Here are more of his memorable zingers.

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

 

“You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t get this job! You'd be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.” 

 

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

 

“Why are we protesting this Oscars? It’s the 88th Academy Awards, which means this no black nominees thing happened 71 other times. You got to figure that it happened in the 50s, 60s. One of those years, Sidney Poitier didn’t put out a movie. … Black people didn’t protest, because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer. When you’re hanging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary short.” 

 

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

“This year, things are going to be a little different. This year, in the In Memoriam package, it’s just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies … yes I said it!” 

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

 

 

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Host Chris Rock and Girl Scouts participate in a skit at the Oscars, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Host Chris Rock and Girl Scouts participate in a skit at the Oscars, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Cindy Drukier is a veteran journalist, editor, and producer. She's the host of NTD's International Reporters Roundtable featured on EpochTV, and perviously host of NTD's The Nation Speaks. She's also an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Her two films are available on EpochTV: "Finding Manny" and "The Unseen Crisis"
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