Oscar presenter Chris Rock pokes fun at lack of nomination list diversity

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chris Rock couldn't help poking fun at the lack of diversity in the 88th annual Academy Awards' nomination list. While tweeting a promo video for Oscars on Friday, January 15, the veteran comedian who will serve as the host at the awards show called it "The White BET Awards," AceShowbiz said.

The promo video showed Chris giving "top three reasons" why people should watch the Oscars on Sunday, February 28. Chris mentioned the three reasons including "presenter cleavage," people "who died this year" and his possible "curse." A caption for the video read, "The #Oscars. The White BET Awards."

The caption was apparently more notable than the video as it sparked a lot of comments from Twitter users. User @TWILLER39 hilariously compared the awards to Donald Trump as saying, "The Oscars are the 'Donald Trump' of American awards....it's alotta talk going on there, and no Mexicans around!" Another user @LovelyWerk commented, "@chrisrock You would be the ONLY reason to watch, since you'll be the only black person there.#OscarsSoWhite."

Chris' tweet came just a day after the Academy President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, expressed her disappointment about the nomination list which snubbed black actors. "Of course I am disappointed," she told Deadline in a statement, "But it is not to take away the greatness (of the films nominated). This has been a great year in film, it really has across the board. You are never going to know what is going to appear on the sheet of paper until you see it. We have got to speed it up."