Chris Rock Roasted Jussie Smollett At The NAACP Image Awards Despite Being Told Not To

Between President Trump’s insistence on getting involved and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s claiming the city is going to bill him, Jussie Smollett’s problems aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Empire actor has been under fire for weeks following allegations that he staged an apparently racist attack against himself. So it’s no surprise that the topic came up during Saturday’s 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards, which Smollett did not attend. Comedian Chris Rock, however, did, and he had plenty to say about the actor.

“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock revealed when he first came to the stage to present an award. Even so, the apparent warning from the event’s organizations didn’t stop him. “I know! What a waste of light skin. Do you know what I could do with that light skin That curly hair My career would be out of here! F*cking running Hollywood. What the hell was he thinking From now on, you’re ‘Jessie’ from now on. You don’t even get the ‘U’ no more. That ‘U’ was respect. You don’t get no respect from me.”

Despite the overwhelmingly positive response from the audience, however, Rock’s comments didn’t sit well with everyone who heard them. While accepting her award, Black-ish star Yara Shahidi said, “I stand with Jussie Smollett.” What’s more, many took to Twitter to express their distaste with Rock’s jokes by reminding him about a months-old controversy involving a resurfaced 2011 video in which he explained giving Louis C.K. a pass for saying the n-word.

— valerie complex (@ValerieComplex) March 31, 2019

CHRIS. ROCK. OMG.

— April (@ReignOfApril) March 31, 2019

Chris Rock lets white folk use the n-word in his presence if you’re wondering where he draws lines https://t.co/hqXJAeUGx3

— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) March 31, 2019

I find Chris Rock allowing his white friends to say nigga in his presence a lot more disrespectful than anything Jussie is accused of doing! Now tell a joke about that mofo!

— Corey Bu-Shea (@coreybking) March 31, 2019