Rock vows 'to keep it clean'
2005-02-18 07:49
News York - This year's Oscar host Chris Rock, already in hot water for disparaging the annual awards ceremony, says he's confident he can rein in his fondness for off-colour language during the big show.
"I've been on TV and not cursed before," Rock, whose live, stand-up shows are renowned for their expletive-laced content, said in an interview with the CBS network's 60 Minutes programme to be shown on Sunday.
"I've been on TV and been funny not cursing," the comedian said.
"As far as content is concerned, I will talk about the movies. I'm not really worried about it. I'm sure ABC might be more worried about it than me," he added.
The ABC network, which will broadcast cinema's biggest night on February 27, will be using a slight transmission delay to allow censors to bleep out any offensive words or remarks.
Rock said he was happy with the "safety net" provided by the delay.
"You know, you're a trapeze artist ... you welcome the net," he said.
The edgy comic has already ruffled feathers with a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly in which he branded awards ceremonies as "idiotic" and the Oscars as a "fashion show" that few heterosexual men would want to watch.
"What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one," he told the magazine.
Amid reports that some members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences were outraged at his comments, the Oscar producers felt obliged to confirm that Rock would still be hosting the show.
"Chris's comments over the past few weeks are meant to be humorous digs at a show that some people, obviously including Chris himself, think may be a bit too stuffy," the show's producer Gil Gates said on Wednesday.