海角大神

Comedy has long been a way to tell the truth 鈥� or at least what everyone is thinking 鈥� with a laugh.

As controversy continues over the lack of diversity among this year鈥檚 nominees for the Oscars acting categories, comedians from the "Saturday Night Live" cast and writers to Jimmy Kimmel have weighed in. And many are now wondering what Oscars host Chris Rock will say.

Of course, some celebrities 鈥� including rapper 50 Cent 鈥� have asked Rock聽to step down as Oscars host. But he reportedly isn鈥檛 going anywhere.聽

Reginald Hudlin, a producer for the Oscars, recently told Entertainment Tonight that Rock is still planning to host and that he鈥檚 preparing some new material about the discussion around the lack of diversity among the acting nominees.聽

鈥淐hris is hard at work,鈥� Mr. Hudlin said in an interview. 鈥淗e and his writing staff locked themselves in a room. As things got a little provocative and exciting, he said, 'I'm throwing out the show I wrote and writing a new show.'鈥� You should expect [#OscarsSoWhite jokes]. And, yes, the Academy is ready for him to do that. They're excited about him doing that. They know that's what we need.鈥澛�

Rock had previously commented on the issue, tweeting soon after the nominations were announced,

While his previous stint as Oscars MC in 2005 was not universally praised (has any Oscar host been?), reviewers noted that Rock took few prisoners with his jokes.

鈥淗ost Chris Rock came out swinging Sunday night, unleashing his acerbic wit on anyone and everyone in Hollywood 鈥� including himself,鈥� Associated Press staff wrote at the time. 鈥淗e slung the mud in a way that kept the audience laughing.鈥�

When he took the job for this year's Oscars show,聽Salon's Anna Silman wrote that he exhibits 鈥渆dgy, acerbic humor鈥� he鈥檚 just himself, no matter what stage he鈥檚 on. In fact, his rawness could be exactly what we need to shake the Oscars out of their stupor.鈥�

Unsurprisingly, other comedians have shared their view on the Oscars omissions, including the cast and the writers of 鈥淪aturday Night Live,鈥� whose program included a sketch that took place at the 鈥淪creen Guild Awards鈥� (held at the Dolby Theatre, no less, which is the real-life home of the Oscars).聽

In the latest 鈥淪NL鈥� sketch, white actors scored nominations after appearing in movies dominated by a more diverse cast. Movie names included the thinly veiled 鈥淎ll the Beasts of Heaven鈥� (presumably based on the real movie 鈥淏easts of No Nation鈥�) and 鈥淪hut 鈥楨m Down鈥� (which bore a resemblance to 鈥淪traight Outta Compton鈥�).聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 a five-way tie!鈥� the presenter (Cecily Strong) exclaims when she goes to read the winner. 鈥淎ll the white guys!鈥澛�

Meanwhile, comedian Marlon Wayans recently told People Magazine in an interview:

And on his show,聽late-night host Jimmy Kimmel聽recently had actor Tom Virtue portray the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science鈥檚 public relations director, whom Kimmel quizzed about the controversy.

鈥淥ur plan is to make this right,鈥� Virtue said. 鈥淣ot just in the future 鈥� now.鈥澛�

The program then showed posters of Oscar-nominated films such as 鈥淩oom鈥� with actors including Queen Latifah and Kevin Hart added.

It seems assured that Rock will address the lack of diversity during his Oscars hosting stint. If he does, he鈥檒l be far from the first host 鈥� a job that often goes to comedians 鈥� to poke fun at Hollywood.聽

Last year, when the acting nominees were again all white, then-host Neil Patrick Harris opened the show by saying, 鈥淭onight we honor Hollywood鈥檚 best and whitest.鈥�

Other hosts have sent up the show itself and how important it鈥檚 considered to be, including Ellen DeGeneres, who recently hosted a show that was preceded by a red carpet where rainy weather threatened. 鈥淚t has been raining,鈥� DeGeneres said during the show. 鈥淲e鈥檙e fine. Thank you for your prayers.鈥澛�

One of host Billy Crystal鈥檚 jokes was in a similar vein when he last hosted, with the comedian commenting, 鈥淣othing takes the sting out of these tough economic times like watching a bunch of millionaires giving golden statues to each other.鈥�

And when actress Anne Hathaway and James Franco, star of such comedies as 鈥淭his Is the End,鈥� hosted, they riffed on the Academy鈥檚 ongoing quest to engage younger viewers. When Franco complimented Hathaway鈥檚 appearance, she replied, 鈥淵ou look very appealing to a younger demographic as well.鈥澛�

All eyes will be on Rock when takes the stage on Feb. 28.