TV Review: ‘Chris Rock: Selective Outrage’ — The Pathetic Rantings of a Lonely Middle-Aged Man
Structurally, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage is solid. With over thirty years experience as a comedian you can’t argue the man is a master at his craft. Rock strides out onto the stage to a majority Black audience in Baltimore, MD (a majority Black city, which is also Jada Pinkett-Smith’s hometown) wearing all white. I loved the sleek chain around his neck with a pendant of the symbol Prince changed his name to dangling from his chest. Protection? Perhaps.
The throughline of the show is clear, Rock uses basic binary humor to say “wokeness” is hypocrisy and America in the 21st century is chock full of victims who really aren’t victims. He opens with the line “Imma try to do a show tonight without offending nobody. Okay? Imma try my best. You know why? You never know who might get triggered.” He spits out the joke with that famous “Just gimme one rib and put it in my hand” Chris Rock scowl. He pauses as the audience laughs like it’s Def Comedy Jam and we are off.
With that one line of sarcasm he sets himself up to say all bets are off. Free speech without consequences for men, just like back in the good old days! Netflix is the safe space for old ass comics like Dave Chapelle, Lewis C.K. to free speech with the only consequence being more money.
