Chris Rock on THR essay, NY Grand jury decision

NEW YORK (AP) -- At the premiere of his new film, "Top Five," Chris Rock addressed the controversy surrounding his recent essay in the Hollywood Reporter.

The 49-year star didn't see it as a courageous act; rather he was simply stating the facts over being black in the entertainment industry.

In the piece, Rock questions how such a "liberal town" like Hollywood is also "kind of racist" when it comes to hiring practices and diversity. He called Hollywood: "A white industry. Just as the NBA is a black industry."

Rock told the Associated Press Wednesday night that he was merely speaking from the heart.

"I don't look at it as even being political. I'm just stating the facts. I'm not trying to be political at all, that's (Jon) Stewart, that's (Bill) Maher, that's, you know, not me," Rock said.

Rock also reacted to Wednesday's Grand jury decision in New York not to indict a white police officer in the chokehold death a black Staten Island man last summer. That altercation was captured on video with the suspect screaming, "I can't breathe."

"It's sad when something is on video tape. It's sad," Rock said.

"Law and Order: SVU" star Ice-T was a little more forthcoming.

"My stomach is twisted over this thing. We all kind of witnessed a snuff film on television, when you saw that video. And when you come back and say no crime has been committed. It's hard for people to swallow," Ice-T said.

For the past 16 years, Ice-T has played a NYPD police detective on the successful television drama.

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