Chris Rock Tweets About Oscars ‘Blackout’

Chris Rock during his first stint hosting the Oscars in 2005. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Oscars host Chris Rock has been noticeably quiet about what he plans to do and say during Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony. But late last night he tweeted out this cryptic reminder about the big event, using the hashtags #Oscars and #blackout and sharing a video of a screen that shows nothing but static.

The #blackout reference may be a riff on the plans by some, including Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee, to skip the Oscars ceremony in the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy over the lack of nominated people of color. Some fellow celebrities suggested last month that Rock should even step down as host to make a statement about the lack of inclusiveness, not only at the Academy Awards but in Hollywood more generally.

Related: Before #OscarsSoWhite: The Forgotten Story of Queer Nation’s 1992 Academy Awards Protest

Rock has not stepped down. And though he has said nothing publicly about his opening monologue or his approach to his hosting duties, it is likely that he’ll address the racial issues that have percolated around this year’s Academy Awards. That tweet seemingly confirms that, as well as that Rock intends to continue to keep the details of his remarks close to the vest until the moment he walks onstage at the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 28.

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Watch Eddie Murphy Give an #OscarsSoWhite Speech, Long Before Hashtags Were Invented

Watch Angela Bassett talk about why she’s supporting Chris Rock and tuning in on Sunday: