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‘Nobody’s picking on her – she started this s***,’ the comedy star said.

Chris Rock made a bold Oscars claim about Jada Pinkett Smith during a new comedy special.

On Saturday (4 March), the comedian historically performed a live set for Netflix, titled Selective Outrage, during which he roasted Will Smith for slapping him at the Oscars in March 2022.

File picture: Will Smith slaps Chris Rock after the comic made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith

However, he also used the set to make a claim about Smith’s wife, Pinkett Smith. According to Rock, the Girl’s Trip actor attempted to force him to quit hosting the Oscars in 2016 because her husband didn’t get a Best Actor nomination.

That year, Smith was being tipped for a possible nod for the drama Concussion, but he ultimately failed to make the list of nominees.

“Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars. I shouldn’t host ’cause her man didn’t get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f***ing concussion,” Rock quipped.

He added that Pinkett Smith told him he “should quit ’cause Will didn’t get nominated”.

Rock ignored Pinkett Smith’s pleas and while presenting that year’s ceremony, he made a joke at Pinkett Smith’s expense, which resurfaced following the Oscars slap.

Now, Rock claims he made this joke in response to Pinkett Smith’s request.

“That’s how it is – she starts it, I finish it, OK? That’s what the f*** happened. Nobody’s picking on her. She started this s***.”

In 2016, Pinkett Smith, alongside many Hollywood stars, boycotted the 2016 ceremony due to the lack of diversity among that year’s nominations. This lack of diversity prompted the #OscarsSoWhite campaign.