One of the most infamous moments in Oscar history came in 2022, when Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock over a joke he made at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith. Even three years later, people still talk about that shocking moment, and it continues to come up whenever Hollywood’s biggest night is around the corner. As the 98th Academy Awards approach, rumors have begun circulating that Rock could return as host, reportedly with a surprising condition tied to the incident. 

But is there any truth to the speculation? Here is a look at whether he is actually hosting the Oscars again and what is behind the rumors.

X account Hoops Crave recently posted that Chris Rock could host the Oscars again. But it claimed that the comedian had one condition under which he would accept it. 

“Just make sure there aren’t any couples in an entanglement in the crowd,” the post read.

However, the claim is not true. Chris Rock has made no such comments, and the post in question came from a parody account. As for the hosting duties, Conan O'Brien, who hosted the ceremony last year, is returning to lead this year’s Academy Awards, having hosted the ceremony in 2025.

Meanwhile, both Rock and Will Smith have continued with their careers after the controversial moment, though the incident is still often brought up in conversations about the Oscars. Smith, who was banned from attending the ceremony for 10 years following the slap incident, later apologized for his actions and has since moved forward. Rock, who appeared at the Oscars last year, also addressed the incident in his own way. 

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And when asked whether he would ever consider hosting the awards again, the comedian gave a rather amusing response.

Post the incident, where he was on stage to present an award at the ceremony hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock made an appearance at the Academy Awards in 2025. During the Oscars after-party by Vanity Fair, he was asked whether he would be interested in taking up the emcee role again, after previously hosting the ceremony in 2005 and 2016. In response, the comedian spoke about the idea of forgiveness.

“This is what I would say: the most miserable people on earth are people that can’t forgive. So you never know,” he told E! News. “And not just people — you have to forgive yourself sometimes. So, hey, you never know.”

His comment subtly hinted that he may not completely rule out hosting the Oscars again if the opportunity arises. While Will Smith may not appear at the Oscars before 2032 because of the ban, the possibility of Rock returning as host remains uncertain but not entirely impossible. For now, there is no truth in the rumors saying otherwise.

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What do you think about the fake rumor about Chris Rock? Let us know in the comments.