Chris Rock Biography
Summary
"Christopher Julius Rock III" (born February 7, 1965) is an Emmy Award winning American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted by Comedy Central as the fifth greatest stand-up comedian of all time.
Early life
Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. A few years later, they moved to the working-class area of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn where they settled. His mother, Rosalie (née Tingman), was a teacher and social worker with the mentally handicapped, and his father, Julius Rock, was a former truck driver and newspaper deliveryman. Julius died in 1988 after ulcer surgery. Rock has five younger siblings, Andre, Tony, Brian (a minister), Kenny (a prostitute ), Andi, and a half-sibling, Jordan. Rock has said that he was influenced by the performing style of his paternal grandfather, Allen Rock, a preacher. His brothers Tony and Kenny are also in the entertainment business.
Early career
Rock began doing stand-up comedy in 1985 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star. Rock slowly rose up the ranks of the comedy circuit in addition to earning bit roles in the film "I'm 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".
Early to mid-1990s
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. In 1991, he released his first comedy album "Born Suspect" and won acclaim for his dramatic role as a crack addict in the film "New Jack City". His tenure on "SNL" gave Rock national exposure, but he was rarely used on the show, save for his recurring Nat X character. A frustrated Rock left the show in 1993 and joined the predominately African-American sketch show "In Living Color". The show, however, was canceled months later. Rock then decided to concentrate on a film career. He wrote and starred in the mockumentary "CB4" but the film was not a success. Acting jobs became scarce, and Rock abandoned Hollywood to concentrate on stand-up comedy.
Recurring characters on "SNL"
Nat X, a militant black host of the recurring sketch, 'The Dark Side'
Kevin Stubbs, a game show contestant (he was a contestant on 'Sabra Price is Right' and 'The Bensonhurst Dating Game')
Onski, one of the hosts of the "Yo! MTV Raps"-esque show, 'I'm Chillin" (the cohost, B Fats, was played by Chris Farley)
Buster Jenkins, an old black man who appears on "Weekend Update"
Young Pop, a sailor who uses barbecued meat to save the day on 'Tales From The Barbecue'.
Celebrity impersonations on SNL
Idi Amin Dada
Flavor Flav
Long Dong Silver
Todd Bridges
Eddie Murphy
Arsenio Hall
M.C. Hammer
Michael Jackson
Jaleel White
Whoopi Goldberg
Stand-up success
He starred in his first HBO comedy special in 1994 titled "Big Ass Jokes". But it was his second stand-up special, 1996's "Bring the Pain", that reinvented Rock as one of the best comedians in the industry. His routine, which featured commentaries on race in America, stirred up a great deal of controversy. Rock won two Emmy Awards for that special. Adding to his popularity was his much-publicized role as a commentator for Comedy Central's "Politically Incorrect" during the 1996 Presidential elections which earned him another Emmy nomination. 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 1994-1998, 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" and "Entertainment Weekly", respectively. 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. 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".
He is currently working on his fifth HBO special program.
Film career
While Rock has acted in movies since 1987 (beginning with a small role in "Beverly Hills Cop II"), it was not until the success of his stand-up act in the late 1990s that Rock began receiving major parts in films. These include roles in "Dogma", "Beverly Hills Ninja", "Lethal Weapon 4", "Nurse Betty", Bad Company and a starring role in "Down to Earth". 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". In the fall of 2005, the UPN television network premiered a comedy series called "Everybody Hates Chris", based on Rock's school days, of which he is the executive producer and narrator. The show has garnered both critical and commercial success, and Rock describes it as 'honest' and 'very working-class, so people can relate.'
Comedic style
His comedy typically involves race relations in the United States, politics, music, romance, and class relationships. Though not directly based on it, many of his comedic views are rooted in his teen years; his very strict parents, concerned about the neighborhood schools, had him bused to an almost all-white high school in Bensonhurst (an Italian-ethnic neighborhood of Brooklyn that was known at the time for poor race relations). Rock claims to have been arrested four times: once for vehicular assault on a youth who had robbed him, and three times for traffic violations, including driving without a license and driving too slowly.
Rock is uncomfortable with the idea of being seen as a larger than life figure in standup comedy as opposed to some of his heroes like Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy or Richard Pryor; when pressed for a statement during an interview with "Playboy", he hesitated and finally responded: 'I talked about race differently. I'll go that far'.
Entertainment/wrestling
In the promotion's early days Chris Rock made an appearance for TNA wrestling in which he was introduced by B. G. James and was hit with a chair and beaten up by wrestlers including Jeff Jarrett. This event was covered in TNA's '50 greatest moments'.
Academy Awards host
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. 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 and being 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!') . Nearly two hours later, a defensive 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 poked fun at that evening, however -- he turned the joke on himself at one point, saying 'if you want Denzel Washington and all you can get is me, wait!'
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". Chris Rock also directed and appeared in the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song 'Hump de Bump'.
Rock appeared in the Big Daddy Kane music video 'Smooth Operator' as a guy getting his hair cut.
He also appeared in Johnny Cash's 'God's Gonna Cut You Down', one of the many celebrities seen lip-synching the song.
Live Earth controversy
Chris made his first appearance on stage in the UK at the Live Earth event 07/07/2007 which was broadcast live on the BBC. Before introducing the Red Hot Chili Peppers Chris called the crowd 'motherfuckers'. Due to the broadcast being at 5.45pm Chris was immediately cut off and the BBC made several apologies for his use of the word 'motherfucker'. He also went on in a later interview with Jonathan Ross to use the word 'niggers' but was unrepentant in later "NME" interviews.
Personal life
Rock has been married to Malaak Compton since November 23 1996. She 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. The couple has two daughters together, Lola Simone (born June 28 2002) and Zahra Savannah (born May 22 2004).
In November 2006, the entertainment news website TMZ.com reported that Rock was filing for divorce after nearly ten years of marriage to Malaak. Two weeks later, however, TMZ reported that Rock had not filed divorce papers, and that it appeared that the couple had been able to work out their differences and stay together. In response to the reports, Rock released a statement to the press denouncing them as 'untrue rumors and lies'.
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.'
Most recently, freelance journalist and former actress Kali Bowyer has filed a paternity suit against Chris Rock, claiming he is the father of her son in need of hospitalization. Preliminary DNA testing has appeared to clear Rock of this claim.
Rock currently resides in Alpine, New Jersey.
Works
Selected television work
1987 "Miami Vice" (episode 'Missing Hours')
1990-1993 "Saturday Night Live" (cast member)
1993-1994 "In Living Color" (recurring)
1995 "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (episode 'Get a Job')
1996-1998 "The Moxy Show" (voice) (uncredited)
1996 "Martin" (episode 'The Love Jones Connection')
1996 "Homicide: Life on the Street" (episode 'Requiem for Adena')
1996 "Politically Incorrect" (correspondent)
1997 "MTV Video Music Awards" (host)
1997-2000 "The Chris Rock Show" (cast member, writer)
1998 "King of the Hill" (episode 'Traffic Jam')
1999 "MTV Video Music Awards" (host)
2003 "MTV Video Music Awards" (host)
2004 "77th Academy Awards" (host)
2005-Present "Everybody Hates Chris" (narrator, creator)
HBO specials
"Uptown Comedy Express" (1987)
"Big Ass Jokes" (1994)
"Bring the Pain" (1996)
"Bigger & Blacker" (1999)
"Never Scared" (2004)
Books
"Rock This!" (Hyperion Books, 1997) - ISBN 0786862890
External links
(Chris Rock's Stand Up Comedy Acts) a small video collection
(The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Chris Rock.
