KING: Chris Rock Oscars opener dropped the ball and lynching jokes went over the line no matter how tough a spot it was

My family and I decided we weren't watching the Oscars this year. Instead we opted to support the Justice for Flint online fundraising event. Many of our favorite stars were actually there anyway.

For us, it's fundamentally outrageous that out of dozens of opportunities, not a single African American was nominated for one doggone category this year. With a voting pool that is overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male, and overwhelming old, 2016 turned out to be one of the whitest years in recent history for the Academy Awards.

Chris Rock Covers The Hollywood Reporter & Talks Hosting the 2016 Oscars

51-year-old actor Chris Rock is the cover star of the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter.

In it he talks about the backlash for hosting the upcoming 2016 Oscars, who was actually supposed to host it and more.

See excerpts below.

Chris Rock talks Diversity in Hollywood, Hosting the Oscars Again & More for Essence Mag

Chris Rock

Chris Rock is on the cover of Essence magazine for the very first time as he gets featured in their annual Hollywood Marcy Issue.

In a candid and revealing profile—written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson and conducted in December 2015 before #OscarsSoWhite reached fever pitch— Chris Rock contemplates diversity in Hollywood, his second go at hosting the Oscars, and roles for Black women in Hollywood.

See excerpts below.