11/3/2019 Chris Rock Never Scared Free
Chris Rock once again commands the stage in his fourth HBO special, NEVER SCARED, which is just as fall-on-the-floor funny as the previous three. Chris is a bold and polished presence onstage and has become to HBO comedy what George Carlin used to be. Start your free trial to watch Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger and other popular TV shows and movies including new releases, classics, Hulu Originals, and more. Itâs all on Hulu. Hilarious within an inch of its life, Chris Rockâs Never Scared is an excellent 90 minutes and maintains his own status as a strong comic presence. By nycritic. Recorded on March at the DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. I think heâs a funny guy.
Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director.
After working as a stand-up comedian and appearing in supporting film roles, Rock came to wider prominence as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s. He went on to more prominent film appearances, with starring roles in Down to Earth (2001), Head of State (2003), The Longest Yard (2005), the Madagascar film series (2005â2012), Grown Ups (2010), its sequel Grown Ups 2 (2013), Top Five (2014), and a series of acclaimed stand-up specials for HBO. He developed, wrote, and narrated the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005â2009), which was based on his early life.
Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 and the 88th in 2016. He has won four Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He was voted the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian in a poll conducted by Comedy Central. He was also voted in the United Kingdom as the ninth-greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007, and again in the updated 2010 list as the eighth-greatest stand-up comic.
Early life
Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina on February 7, 1965.[1][2] Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. A few years later, they relocated and settled in the working-class area of BedfordâStuyvesant.[3] His mother, Rosalie (née Tingman), was a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped; his father, Julius Rock, was a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman.[4] Julius died in 1988 after ulcer surgery.[1] Rock's younger brothers Tony, Kenny,[5] and Jordan[6] are also in the entertainment business. His older half-brother, Charles, died in 2006 after a long struggle with alcoholism.[7][8] Rock has said that he was influenced by the performing style of his paternal grandfather, Allen Rock, a preacher.
Rock's family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2 in 2008. A DNA test showed that he is of Cameroonian descent, specifically from the Udeme people of northern Cameroon.[9] Rock's great-great-grandfather, Julius Caesar Tingman, was a slave for 21 years before serving in the American Civil War as part of the United States Colored Troops. During the 1940s, Rock's paternal grandfather moved from South Carolina to New York City to become a taxicab driver and preacher.[10]
Rock was bused to schools in predominately white neighborhoods of Brooklyn, where he endured bullying and beatings from white students.[11][12][13] As he got older, the bullying became worse and Rock's parents pulled him out of James Madison High School.[13] He dropped out of high school altogether, but he later earned a GED. Rock then worked menial jobs at various fast-food restaurants.[11][12]
CareerEarly career
Rock began doing stand-up comedy in 1984 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star.[11] He slowly rose up the ranks of the comedy circuit in addition to earning bit roles in the film Iâm Gonna Git You Sucka and the TV series Miami Vice. Upon seeing his act at a nightclub, Eddie Murphy befriended and mentored the aspiring comic. Murphy gave Rock his first film role in Beverly Hills Cop II.
Saturday Night Live
Rock became a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 1990. He and other new cast members Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade became known as the Bad Boys of SNL.[5][14][15] In 1991, he released his first comedy album, Born Suspect and won acclaim for his role as a crack addict in the film New Jack City. His tenure on SNL gave Rock national exposure.
Watch Chris Rock Never Scared FreeStandup success
Chris Rock in 1993
With plans to leave Saturday Night Live after the 1992â93 season, Rock was effectively 'fired' from the show.[16][17] Beginning that fall, he appeared in six episodes of the predominantly African-American sketch show In Living Color as a special guest star.[18] The show was canceled a month after he arrived.[16] Rock then wrote and starred in the low-budget comedy CB4, which made $18 million against its budget of $6 million.[19]
Rock starred in his first HBO comedy special in 1994 titled Big Ass Jokes as part of HBO Comedy Half-Hour. His second special, 1996's Bring the Pain, made Rock one of the most acclaimed and commercially successful comedians in the industry.[20][21] Rock won two Emmy Awards for the special and gained large critical acclaim.[22] The most well-known and controversial piece of the special was 'Niggas vs. Black People'.[22] Adding to his popularity was his much-publicized role as a commentator for Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect during the 1996 Presidential elections,[20] for which he earned another Emmy nomination.[23] Rock also was the voice for the 'Lil Penny' puppet who was the alter ego to basketball star Penny Hardaway in a series of Nike shoe commercials from 1994â1998,[20] and hosted the '97 MTV Video Music Awards.
Rock later had two more HBO comedy specials: Bigger & Blacker in 1999, and Never Scared in 2004. Articles relating to both specials called Rock 'the funniest man in America' in Time[24] and Entertainment Weekly.[25] HBO also aired his talk show, The Chris Rock Show, which gained critical acclaim for Rock's interviews with celebrities and politicians. The show won an Emmy for writing. His television work has won him a total of three Emmy Awards and 15 nominations.[citation needed] By the end of the decade, Rock was established as one of the preeminent stand-up comedians and comic minds of his generation.
During this time, Rock also translated his comedy into print form in the book Rock This! and released the Grammy Award-winning comedy albums, Roll with the New, Bigger & Blacker and Never Scared. Management daft 10th edition pdf.
Rock's fifth HBO special, Kill the Messenger, premiered on September 27, 2008, and won him another Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety or music program.[26]
On October 30, 2016, Netflix announced that they would be releasing two new stand-up comedy specials from Rock, with Rock being paid $40 million per special.[27][28][29] The first special, Chris Rock: Tamborine, was released on Netflix on February 14, 2018. It was filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The specials marked the comedian's first concert specials released in 10 years.[30]
Film star
Rock at the Israeli premiere of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, on November 22, 2008
It was not until the success of his stand-up act in the late 1990s that Rock began receiving leading man status in films. Though he started off with supporting roles in films such as Dogma, Beverly Hills Ninja, Lethal Weapon 4, and Nurse Betty, he went on to star in films like The Longest Yard, Bad Company, and Down to Earth. Some of his 2010s film appearances include Death at a Funeral, Grown Ups, and 2 Days in New York.
Rock has also increasingly worked behind the camera, both as a writer and director of Head of State and I Think I Love My Wife (both in which he played the lead role). Additionally, he has done voice work in the Madagascar animated film franchise, voicing the eccentric zebra Marty.
Following the release of his first documentary, 2009's Good Hair, Rock is working on a documentary about debt called Credit Is the Devil.[31]
in 2014, Rock wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed film Top Five, which critics have drawn comparison to Woody Allen's Stardust Memories. The film is a social commentary on fame and society.[32]
Television producer
In the fall of 2005, the UPN television network premiered a comedy series called Everybody Hates Chris, loosely based on Rock's school days, of which he is the executive producer and narrator. The show has garnered both critical and ratings success.[33] The series was nominated for a 2006 Golden Globe for Best TV Series (Musical or Comedy), a 2006 People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy, and two 2006 Emmy Awards for costuming and cinematography.[citation needed] He produced the series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, which premiered in August 2012.
Academy Awards
In early 2005, Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards ceremony. The decision to have Rock host the awards was seen by some as a chance to bring an 'edge' to the ceremony, and to make it more relevant or appealing to younger audiences. Jokingly, Rock opened by saying 'Welcome to the 77th and LAST Academy Awards!' During one segment Rock asked, 'Who is this guy?' in reference to actor Jude Law seemingly appearing in every movie Rock had seen that year and implied Law was a low-rent Tom Cruise (he made a joke about filmmakers rushing production when unable to get the actors they want: 'If you want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law, wait [to make the film]!'). Subsequently, an angry Sean Penn took the stage to present and said, 'In answer to our host's question, Jude Law is one of our finest young actors.' (At the time, Penn and Law were shooting All the King's Men.) Law was not the only actor that Rock roasted that evening, howeverâhe turned the joke on himself at one point, saying, 'If you want Denzel [Washington] and all you can get is me, wait!' Older Oscar officials were reportedly displeased with Rock's performance, which did not elevate ratings for the ceremony.[34] Rock was also criticized for referring to the Oscars as 'idiotic', and asserting that heterosexual men do not watch them, in an interview prior to Oscar night.[35][36]
On October 21, 2015 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Rock would host the 88th Academy Awards.[37] When the subsequent acting nominations turned out to include no racial minorities, Rock was called upon to join a boycott of the ceremony. Rock declined however, stating at the ceremony that it would have accomplished little since the show would have proceeded anyway, with him simply replaced.[38] Instead, Rock spoke of his concerns about the lack of diversity in AMPAS at various times during the show, closing by saying 'Black Lives Matter.'[39]
Music videos
Rock's first music video was for his song 'Your Mother's Got a Big Head' from his album Born Suspect. Rock also made videos for his songs 'Champagne' from Roll With the New and 'No Sex (In the Champagne Room)' from Bigger & Blacker.
He directed and appeared in the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song 'Hump de Bump', and has simply appeared in several videos, including the Big Daddy Kane music video 'Smooth Operator' as a guy getting his hair cut, one of the many celebrities seen lip-synching in Johnny Cash's 'God's Gonna Cut You Down', a cameo in Madonna's 'Bitch I'm Madonna', and as a Wild West sheriff chasing down an 1889 cowboy version of Lil Nas X in 'Old Town Road'.
Stage plays
In 2011, Rock appeared on Broadway in Stephen Adly Guirgis' play The Motherfucker with the Hat[40] with Bobby Cannavale and Annabella Sciorra.[40] Rock was nominated for a Drama League Award. In an interview with Vibe Magazine, Rock stated that he chose to do Broadway because he wanted more people to see him 'really act. Sometimes when you do comedy, that can be a little formulaic, and it's hard for really good directors to see that you can act.' [41]
Comedic style and views
Rock's subject matter typically involves family, politics, romance, music, class relationships, and race relations in the United States. Though not strictly autobiographical, much of his comic standpoint seems rooted in his teenage experience; his strict parents, concerned about the inadequacies of the local school system, arranged to have the adolescent Rock bused to a nearly all-white high school in Bensonhurst (an Italian-ethnic neighborhood of Brooklyn known at the time for poor race relations). In his memoir Rock This, the comedian recalls, 'My parents assumed I'd get a better education in a better neighborhood. What I actually got was a worse education in a worse neighborhood. And a whole bunch of ass-whippings.'[42]
The comedian has also expressed discomfort with the notion that success in standup comedyâor, indeed, in any aspect of the entertainment industryâshould oblige him to serve as a role model. In this position, he finds himself directly at odds with one of his comic idols, Bill Cosby. Cosby has reprimanded Rock both explicitlyâfor his Niggas vs. Black People trackâand implicitly, for heavy use of the word 'nigger.'[43] Rock has not wavered from a position explored in his 1996 Roll With The New show, and reiterated in his 1997 memoir: 'Why does the public expect entertainers to behave better than everybody else? It's ridiculous..Of course, this is just for black entertainers. You don't see anyone telling Jerry Seinfeld he's a good role model. Because everyone expects whites to behave themselves..Nowadays, you've got to be an entertainer and a leader. It's too much.'[44] Often the subject of tabloids, when asked about paparazzi and the other negative aspects of fame, Rock says he accepts the bad with the good: 'You can't be happy that fire cooks your food and be mad it burns your fingertips.'[45]
At the London Live Earth concert on July 7, 2007, which was broadcast live on the BBC, before introducing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rock called the crowd 'motherfuckers' and 'shit' after a brief sigh when he said he was joking. Due to the broadcast being at 5:45 pm Rock was immediately cut off, and the BBC made several apologies for his use of the word 'motherfucker.'[46]
Chris Rock has been an avid fan of the New York Mets baseball team since childhood. He famously complained that his team 'had no money' in a comedic rant during a 2011 interview with David Letterman.[47]
Influences
Rock's comedy influences are Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Pigmeat Markham, Woody Allen, Eddie Murphy,[48]Sam Kinison, George Carlin, Mort Sahl,[25] and Rodney Dangerfield.[49]
Comedians who have claimed Rock as an influence are Dave Chappelle,[25]Christian Finnegan,[50]George Lopez,[51]Kevin Hart,[52] and Trevor Noah.[53]
Personal life
Rock married Malaak Compton-Rock on November 23, 1996.[54] Compton-Rock is the founder and executive director of StyleWorks, a non-profit, full-service salon that provides free services for women leaving welfare and entering the workforce.[54] The couple lived in Alpine, New Jersey[55][56] with their two daughters, Lola Simone (born 2002) and Zahra Savannah (born 2004).[1] In December 2014, Rock announced that he had filed for divorce from Compton-Rock.[57] Rock admitted to infidelity in the marriage, as well as struggling with a porn addiction.[58] The divorce was finalized on August 22, 2016.[59]
Rock is an outspoken critic of racial profiling and often speaks of the 'everyday racism' he claims to experience, despite being famous.[60][61] In a 2013 episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, Rock and Seinfeld are pulled over by the police for speeding while Seinfeld was driving. In the episode Rock admits to Seinfeld that 'If you weren't here, I'd be scared. Yeah, I'm famous â still black.'[62] In 2015, Rock was pulled over three times in the first three months of the year. Each time Rock posted a selfie of the incident, without further comment as to the reason for the stops or whether he was issued a citation.[63]
On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Chris Rock among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[64] On August 20, 2019, Rock, along with several other celebrities, invested in a funding round for Lowell Herb Co, a California cannabis brand. He is known to be 'a dedicated cannabis consumer'.[65]
Filmography and awardsDiscography
Bibliography
References
External links
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Rock&oldid=919828370'
Chris Rocks!
jeffs900019 April 2004
I always thought Chris Tucker was funnier, I may need to re-think that. Chris Rock is at his finest here. He goes where no other comics dare to go. Michael Jackson, affirmative action, George Bush, marriage, the US government, IRAQ, abortion, rappers. Controversial topics with many f-en-heimers. Serious topics with a very real and funny spin to each one of them. This guy actually makes sense, and is quite intelligent (also very funny, but you already knew that). I couldn't help but laugh my ass off for 75 minutes, however at times I felt I shouldn't be laughing (realizing that history was very brutal many years ago). Highly recommended and very hilarious if you don't mind the foul language. I gave it a 10.
15 out of 15 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Never Been Better!
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nycritic12 April 2005
I've always been a fan of Chris Rock's humor, but this time he really pulls out all the stops in his no-holds-barred stand up comedy special which aired last spring on HBO. Gleefully making fun of rap music over the years, the Jacksons, Kobe Bryant, R. Kelly, Krispy Kremes, strippers 'paying themselves for college and giving a smart lap dance while wearing clear heels,' the dynamics of relationships between men and women, he also makes some very strong (but humorous) points when talking about how the government advertises approved medicines while maintaining a hypocritical attitude on drugs and weapons, and he drives the issue home as to the politics of wealth which draws a clear difference between Whites and Blacks (or non whites). Hilarious within an inch of its life, CHRIS ROCK'S NEVER SCARED is an excellent 90 minutes and maintains his own status as a strong comic presence.
19 out of 20 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Great show!!
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raverg4 March 2005
Oh my gosh.. this show is great. After watching it for the first time I couldn't help watching 2 more times in the same day. My personal favorite's is 'Niggaz vs. Black people'. But this one was great too.
Chris Rock makes fun of rap music, the Jacksons, the president of the U.S., strippers, married people, couples and a few other things. Anyhow, it's hilarious. I simply loved the STRIPPER MYTH: 'I'm stripping to pay my tuition' :))))))))) I recommend it to anybody who is over 18 and likes stand-up comedy. 10 out of 10
15 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Follows the formula
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dosanjh12 August 2004
Chris Rock is a poet and a preacher, to watch him in full swing delivering his chisled lines is always wonderful.
If you've seen Bring the Pain and Bigger and Blacker, you'll know exactly what to expect as Rock pretty much continues where he left off, covering the same ground of politics, relationships, the black condition and his interpretation of celebrity crimes. His delivery is smooth, forceful as ever and very confident. This particular act falls down when he tries to discuss Iraq. Not intending to make a joke but a serious point, he literally wastes 10 minutes of airtime not being funny. I think this may be in homage to his Hero Bill Hicks. (Very spookey listening to BH discuss Iraq 10-15 years ago today) Watch Bring the Pain, then Bigger and Blacker and then if you have time watch this one.
7 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Rock at the limit
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tributarystu9 January 2005
Now, I had only a vague idea Chris Rock existed as an artistic human being on this planet up to this comedy show. Actually, up to the point he was announced as the next host of the Oscars, but the two moments nearly coincide.
Whether Rock is better or worse than in his other shows, I can not judge, for I've, obviously, yet to have seen them. But I believe this here show is enough ground for me to state, that Rock is a damn good comedian. He's got what it takes to keep the audience in tears of laughter for minutes in a row, he's spontaneous, original, charismatic and, of course, hilarious. In 'Never Scared', Rock is being rather tough on a lot of rather nasty and scandalous individuals, from strippers, to Michael and Janet Jackson, to the American government, to Mr. Bush W. etc. Out of these, poking at Michael is most fun. There are other 'issues' at hand in 'Never Scared' too, some more brilliant than others, which I really enjoyed listening to. I did sometimes question the approaches to one or two of the themes, but it was still easy to swallow down the jokes without being overly concerned or insulted by the content. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Chris Rock in the future. Because he's still got one.
8 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Funniest Man In The World !
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drzeusmonkey19 October 2004
When i bought the DVD i was wondering to myself whether it would be better than his previous HBO specials ,'Bring The pain' and 'Bigger And Blacker'. Well i found it is was just as funny or even funnier.
The high points of this stand up were the hilarious jokes about the government and why drugs are illegal, oh and how much black people love rims. What makes this so funny is that the jokes are so TRUE. The low points were well not many well actually only one, Chris Rock used a bit too much swearing to my liking and it made some jokes just not as funny. All in all you have got to see this stand up. Never Scared came close but my favorite stand up is still Peter Kay : Live At Bolton Albert Halls. Well played though.
8 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. My least favorite HBO special, though worth checking out once or twice
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Quinoa198419 September 2004
Chris Rock is a very smart comedian, but he forgets something about what made Bigger and Blacker and especially Bring the Pain funny- he then ONLY brought the jokes, not applause lines. A good deal of what comes out in his latest special, Never Scared, is funny, but a good lot of it doesn't strike up the rousing, even enormous laughs that came out of some of his classic bits (i.e. N****ers and Black People, Tossed Salad Man, the Columbine/Bill Clinton riff from 99). He's on fire in spurts, and that's what makes the 90 minutes worth watching, as he does have some great stuff here and there, such as when he attacks celebrities (The Jackson family, R. Kelly, wealth and rich in the black community 'Rims- they spinnin' and spinnin' and spinnin'), describes the bad parts about marriage, and so on. If only some bits wouldn't drag in so many parts to little laughs as opposed to bigger ones..this being said, after seeing it more times on HBO (it pops up a lot depending on the time you might be up at night), some of the lines work much funnier, especially the part about defending rap music and what it's like when one couple meets the 'perfect' couple. A-
5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Haven't really lost his touch
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After a four year absence from stand-up,Chris Rock still know how to make the audience laugh. He is very brilliant and is up-to-date with the social issues that's going on today. He is now a father,and I don't think anyone can say that he is truly happy about marriage because he describes a lot of stress-related situations towards the matrimony. But a lot of comics hide their pain through their jokes and he does in a way that the audience can relate. Chris admits he is 39 ('that's right New Jack City was a long time ago')and still enjoy how hip-hop has evolve through a different art. He has a youthful intelligent outlook on life and gain respect from people of all ages. This is not his best stand-up but Chris will sure leave you in tears. A 8.5 out of 10 as compared to Bigger and Blacker.
6 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. One of the finest stand-up comedy shows ever.
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Marco_AGJ18 May 2009
It's been a while now that I've been having increasing interest in stand-up comedies. I've already seen some good ones from handful of comedians, with Chris Rock being one of them, and I got to say that Never Scared is currently my favorite stand-up comedy show and is certainly one of the best showcases of what this genre can offer to entertain.
It's all about jokes and how you perform them. Chris Rock not only has some amazingly funny jokes, but also has a natural charisma in portraying them to the audience. He often makes weird faces, imitations, and changes on his voice into a harsher tone to make the jokes even funnier. That's how he forged a personality for his method of presentation. Chris Rock deals with subjects like popular culture, celebrities' scandals, rap music, politics, war, love relationships, African American related themes, among others. Be sure to find various topics about things that were happening in the world and especially in the United States at the time it was recorded, which I believe was in March of 2004. This might pretty much be Chris Rock's finest recorded moment. If not, one of the finest, that's for sure. With Chris throwing several hilarious jokes, non-stop, from the beginning to the very end. All accompanied with Chris's singular way of doing it.
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Chris Rock is the Man..and don't you forget it!
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Isaac58558 January 2007
Chris Rock once again commands the stage in his fourth HBO special, NEVER SCARED, which is just as fall-on-the-floor funny as the previous three. Chris is a bold and polished presence onstage and has become to HBO comedy what George Carlin used to be. His concerts have become 'Must-See TV' and I'm sure they will continue to be so for a long time to come. Though his themes are similar, Chris never really repeats material. As always, he covers a myriad of subjects here, including the war, the president, sex, marriage, Michael Jackson, drugs, relationships, strippers, and rap music. Another thing I love about Chris is that he's never afraid to push the envelope where his audience is concerned. There is always at least one joke that generates as many uncomfortable 'Oooooooh's' as it does laughs. Chris also never forgets that he's a man and every concert also contains at least one joke that only gets laugh from the men in the audience, but Chris doesn't care. He says what's on his mind and what people think, be damned but he never leaves the stage without a standing ovation.
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Not his best, but thoroughly entertaining
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While not nearly the epic performance of comedy-God proportions that was '96's 'Bring The Pain,' or even a show as good as his relaxed (by Chris Rock standards) '99 follow up 'Bigger and Blacker,' 'Never Scared' is Chris Rock doing once again what he was meant to do. Rock, as demonstrated by his uneven movies, doesn't quite dominate any other medium like he does stand-up, and if anything it's great to see him at it again after a 4 year layoff. The material is somewhat more serious (abortion, gay marriage, the war in Iraq and a pointed defense of affirmative action are amongst the topics), and some of the lighter stuff has been covered in past shows (relationships, to name one) but to hear Rock's patented gravelly voice/shouted delivery is sweet music to the comedy ears. He rants better than anyone in the entertainment industry, and his frequent swears are anthemic when they would be perceived as simply overkill from anyone else.
Rock is not quite as over-the-top as in past performances. At a few instances his exasperation seems a little forced, but throughout the show it's relatively unnoticeable. I won't ruin any one-liners, but there were a few classics. All in all a great way to spend 80 minutes, even if it doesn't quite compare to the high standard Rock has set for himself. Bring The Pain: 10 Bigger and Blacker: 8.5 Never Scared: 7.5
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Rock's delivery makes up for some hit and miss writing
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MassDistraction25 March 2014
For his fourth special for HBO (third full-length), Chris Rock returns to Washington, D.C. Rock's grown a little since the last we saw him. His delivery resembles that of a preacher's more than ever before, with more inflection in his speech and the increased use of repetition. While his previous specials contained some casual sexism and mild misogyny, Rock's now confronted with the birth of his daughter, which one thinks may challenge some of his old viewpoints. Sadly, there seems to be little change in his archaic views on relationships or his often combative approach to women. Fortunately, Rock handles politics and cultural commentary with a more progressive viewpoint, adding his own spin on the issues without fear of crossing any lines. On the issue of pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs, Rock's razor-sharp insights confront some hypocritical truths. Rock's support of gay marriage is a welcome development, even if he does make marriage about as appealing as getting waterboarded. Rock's charm and charisma does a fair bit to overcome some narrow mindedness, being able to land jokes that would be groan-inducing by other comics. A mixed bag of material with a million dollar delivery.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Sporting Life
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Everyone lives in their own movie. We make up that movie from those we see, and many of us don't know it. Some movies are made purely to help us define ourselves and these are necessarily targeted to certain demographics. Nowhere is this more true than in the gay, teen and black worlds.
Chris Rock now sits on the throne between where there used to be two seats, the Bill Cosby and Richard Prior seats. That means he has to alternate between helping Blacks laugh at themselves and animating conspiracies. He must have found a sweet spot: hard for me to judge, I'm sort of a George Carlin kind of guy. Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
3 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. On children: Even roaches have kids
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Oh dear! a politically incorrect, Politically unfocused and finger-pointing humorist that scathes mostly the black American experience: Well that's as old as riots in the 'hood, and yet his twists and turns of that finger has white folks squirming too. In the wake of 9/11 it is an almost obligatory and disappointing side to his (and others) humour that he qualifies his tirades with: 'I love America...but' and so forth. This is Chris 'fourth HBO outing and he is as provocative and engaging as his fans could have hoped for. Its clear when he's off the mark as the audience waits respectfully for a truer hit. But these times are few and his charming vulgarity wins you over. Along with Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy he proves to be one of the top three-black - if not American-broadcast stand-ups of today
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2 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Crude and not that smart but still sharp, energetic and funny
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Never been totally sold on Chris Rock myself but I do tend to like angry and outrageous comedians at times and so I decided to check out this special. What I was looking for is the same as always which is lots of energy and strong language but that it is all used in context of a funny and insightful routine. Mostly this is what I got here as Rock covers topics such as marriage, parenthood, rap music and so on. The audience seemed more engaged than I was but I was still laughing along in an amused rather than 'in hysterics' way. I think the reason for this is perhaps that Rock is really good with an audience and plays off them with great energy and timing - some of that does come across on the screen but not to the extent that I'm sure it is up close and personal.
This helps him anyway because it can only be a good thing for a performer for your weaker moments to be met by frantic laughter, nodding and knee-slapping. Or at least that is how it works here because some of his material is not as smart or as based in realism as I would have liked, even if the majority of it is pretty sharp. Perhaps understandably he doesn't get into challenging the things he is joking about and as a result the viewer can ignore the shoe whether it fits or not. This does detract a little from his 'importance' as a comedian but not his ability to get a laugh. Never Scared is pretty funny even if I never found it hilarious. The broad caricatures and gags are mostly based in reality to make for a satisfying comedy but some viewers will lose the good in the fact that it is very crude and sexually graphic in the content. To others this will be part of the appeal and this is often the way of things, but the show itself is just about good enough to appeal to the casual viewer as well as fans of Rock and this style of comedy.
1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Funny, but not his best
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saiyahog8428 May 2007
Chris once again delivers laughs, especially in the beginning when he talks about keeping daughters off the pole and the stripper myth ('I'm stripping to pay my tuition' 'If that's true, then how come I never got a smart lapdance?!'), rap music, getting with murder (Shoot him in the head and put a demo tape in his pocket), and celebrity scandals. However, when he starts talking about politics (The war in Iraq, patriotism, favoring white people over black people) it turns more into a speech/sermon rather than a stand-up routine. He seemed more focus about getting applause from the crowd, rather than laughs like in Big Ass Jokes, Bring The Pain, and Bigger & Blacker. However, it's still funny and worth a watch.
1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Worth watching but not his finest
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jmbwithcats4 May 2004
I'm going to disagree with you Mr. Stanton when I say this show was enjoyable.
But Chris Rock, can do great things and can say some great things, so it wasn't as vapid as you suggested. There are times Chris seemed to fall on old standby concepts too often: the sexual vulgarity, didn't quite pull that off as well as Bigger and Blacker, I couldn't tell whether Chris was committing treason or comitting murder, but some things just did not fly. Overall I enjoyed the show, though it wasn't Chris at his best.
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