Chris Rock's Oscars 2016 Opening Monologue Skewers Oscars So White Backlash (Video)

Chris Rock had a lot to say about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during his opening monologue at the 2016 Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday (February 28) in Hollywood.

“Well, I’m here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White People Choice Awards. If they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job,” the 51-year-old comedian started off the monologue. “This is the wildest, craziest Oscars to ever host. You have all this controversy… I though about quitting, but I realized they’re gonna have the Oscars anyway… The last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart.”

Chris brought up the backlash that the Academy received when only white actors were nominated this year and questioned why people finally are lashing out this year.

“Why this Oscars? It’s the 88th Academy Awards, which means this whole ‘no black nominee things’ has happened at least 71 other times,” Chris said. “You have to figure it happened in the 50s, in the 60s… And black people did not protest. Why? Because we had real things to protest at the time. We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about best cinematography. When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, you’re too busy to care about winning best documentary short.”

FYI: Chris is wearing a Burberry tuxedo, Christian Louboutin shoes, and Martin Katz cuff links.

10+ pictures inside of Chris Rock giving his opening monologue…