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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zara Woodcock

Chris Rock's most controversial jokes from racial stereotyping to Whitney Houston jibes

Chris Rock might have gotten smacked by Will Smith for making a joke about his wife, but it's not the first time he made controversial comments.

The Oscars turned into the ultimate drama when Will walked up on stage and smacked the comedian across the face for commenting on Jada Pinkett Smith's buzzcut.

Chris said he couldn't 'wait for GI Jane 2' as she sat in the audience and rolled her eyes. She previously opened up about her battle with alopecia.

The crowd and the internet may have gasped at the turn of events, but surely Chris is used to irking people with controversial jokes over the years.

He even previously said in 2019: "If it was five years ago I could say something real offensive and funny right now but I can’t do that anymore, so…heyyyy!"

What are some offensive jokes he made over the years?

First taste of Oscars controversy

He introduced three children to the audience (ABC)

During his presenting gig at the Oscars 2016, he made a comment racial stereotyping East Asians which resulted in a lot of complaints.

Host Chris introduced 'the accountants' who had put together the Oscars' results on stage.

The people included three children of east Asian descent he jokingly called 'Ming Zhu, Bao Ling, and David Moskowitz'.

"If anyone is upset about that joke you can tweet about it on your phone, which was also made by these kids," he told the audience.

Actors including Sandra Oh and George Takei signed a letter criticising AMPAS for the racial stereotyping in the event.

Accusations of racism

He made several controversial jokes during the 2016 Oscars (Reuters)

His joke about East Asians wasn't the only shocking comment he made during the night.

It was the year where people were protesting the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Will boycotting the event as it was the second year in a row where people of colour weren't nominated for awards.

Speaking about whether Hollywood is racist, Chris said: "You’re damn right Hollywood’s racist but no burning cross racist! It’s a different type of racist…"

Another moment had the comedian speaking about why the controversy was specifically happening that year.

"Why this year? Because we had real things to protest [in the Sixties!]," he joked. "Too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won Best Cinematography. When your Grandma’s swinging from a tree it’s hard to really care about Best Documentary or Foreign Short."

Whitney Houston joke

He posted a meme about Whitney (Instagram)
Bobby Brown slammed the comedian for 'humiliating' her (Getty Images)

In 2019, Chris took to his Instagram page to share a seemingly innocent meme that included a picture of Whitney Houston.

The meme read: "Me sitting in a meeting that could've been an e-mail". Along with it was a snap of Whitney wearing sunglasses during an interview.

However, his caption caused a stir as he wrote: "Hurry up I gpt crack to smoke".

Whitney previously opened up about using drugs during her marriage to Bobby Brown.

Responding to the meme, Bobby wrote: "During this time of women empowerment you chose to use your time to try and humiliate our QUEEN!!! I thought you was a friend of the family."

White previously said that Bobby had "laced marijuana with rock cocaine". Her drug use got worse after the success of The Bodyguard.

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N-word with Louis CK

Louis CK freely and confidently used the N-word (HBO)
People slammed Chris for allowing it (HBO)

Disgraced comedian Louis CK and Chris were under fire when a video of them repeatedly using the N-word resurfaced.

The clip was from HBO's Talking Funny special in 2011 and had the two stars chatting to Jerry Seinfeld and Ricky Gervais.

At one point, white comedian Louis says: "You're saying I'm a n*****?" after Chris called him the 'blackest white guy' he knows.

"Yes, you are the n****rest f****ing white man I have ever met,'" Chris responded as Ricky and Louis laughed.

Jerry watched on uncomfortably and said he wouldn't use the term anywhere.

People slammed Louis for using the word and Chris for allowing it to happen. They praised Jerry for not condoning it.

Mass shooting meme

He was even called racist against white people (ABC / BACKGRID)

Chris previously shared a meme about mass shootings and how the mass shooter is probably white.

"The first thing people say when a mass shooting is announced," the meme read along with a photo of Betty White attached.

The punchline is a pun inspired by her name: “Bet he white.”

Although many found the joke hilarious, some accused him of being 'racist' against white people.

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