Chris Rock Is Keeping His Mouth Shut About the Oscars Slap Until He Secures the Bag

That fateful night at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony sent the world into a frenzy, birthing discourse from every conceivable angle, SNL sketches, the banishment of Will Smith from the Oscars, and everything in between. 

The one person who has yet to speak on the issue is Chris Rock himself, who’s been holding out, “not until I get paid,” said the star comedian, per the Palm Springs Desert Sun. 

Rock performed at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, on Friday in the first leg of his worldwide Ego Death Tour, reassuring fans that he was fine but would not speak on his reaction until he secured the bag.

“I’m OK, I have a whole show and I’m not talking about that until I get paid. Life is good. I got my hearing back,” Rock joked onstage. 

Instead, he shifted his focus on celebrities and politicians, mocking Hillary Clinton’s two attempts at the presidency, how the Kardashians “love Black people so much they take anyone in,” and the British royal family’s alleged racism towards Meghan Markle.

No one was getting past recording the show, given that no cell phones were allowed inside and showgoers were provided locking pouches for said devices.

The veteran comic went on to talk about raising his daughters as a single parent again, his fear of offending people for any reason at all, and jeered at corporations’ sudden embrace of diversity.

The slap couldn’t have come at a better time for Rock, selling out Ego Death shows and sending tickets skyrocketing in price. TickPick, ticket reseller, saw a 641% increase. 

During the April 30 show at The Wilbur in Boston, Rock briefly touched on the slap while onstage, sharing he was “still kind of processing what happened.”

After the money started rolling in, he also saw an opportunity to cash in on the most anticipated reaction of all. 

Dressed in a white ensemble, Rock received a standing ovation at the close of his set, joking about his divorce and referring his friends to his ex-wife’s attorney. 

For his next show, he heads to Hollywood, Florida, set to perform at the Hard Rock Live on April 14.