One of the things I mentioned in my Best of 2018 video was how excited I am to see all of these semi-retired comedians returning to stand-up comedy. Maybe it’s just because Netflix has enough money to throw at them, maybe they really missed the art form, I don’t know. Whatever the reason, in the past year or so, we’ve seen returns for a handful of great comedians, Ellen DeGeneres (14 years out), Judd Apatow (25 years out), Adam Sandler (14 years out), Chris Rock (10 years out), Dave Chappelle (13 years out), Jerry Seinfeld (18 years out). And average of roughly 15 years since any of them released an album or special. These are huge names in comedy.
I love that they exist, and when I watched these specials I loved the sentimentality and the sweetness, but many of them didn’t seem too memorable to me. I wasn’t quoting them to my friends, I wasn’t returning to them. Judd is still Judd, still charming and domestic. Perhaps a bit more name-dropy, but yeah. Ellen is definitely still Ellen, as observational and unoffensive as ever. Sandler is Sandler, and this was a nice return to the childlike fun of some of his early career. But of all these returns, there was one that I found infinitely more interesting than the rest. There was one that felt different. Sure it was good money, and sure stand-up is pretty “cool” right now (whatever that means) But Chris Rock had something to say and he used his special to try and say it. And you can’t really say that about all of the comedians on that list.
Chris Rock is a different comedian now. He’s not just richer and more famous, which seemed to be the main factor for the others on this list. He’s a different comedian, and seems to be a different human being. And, frankly, he’s performing for a very different America.
QUICK BIOGRAPHY
Chris Rock grew up in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn in the 70s and 80s. He started performing around New York when he was teenager, had some small film roles and such, and then got his first big break when he was cast on SNL in 1990.
Unfortunately, he never really got the air time he deserved, SNL wasn’t a great place for him at the time, and he was essentially fired in 1993.
It was his 1996 HBO Special Bring the Pain that really changed everything, he blew up, became a household name, became a star
He was loud, blunt, dangerous yet meticiulous with his material. He’s famous for what’s called “stalking the stage.” He always had lots to say, seemingly afraid of nothing. In terms of influences, he took heavily from Hip-Hop (admitting that his most famous bits is actually a take on the Ice Cube song “US”) But he also took heavily from the pulpit, being influenced by the cadence of preachers, specifically his grandfather, who was a preacher in South Carolina when Rock was growing up.
Throughout the 90s and early 2000s he was in more movies in bigger and bigger roles, amassing money and fame.
He released more specials include Bigger and Blacker (1999) Never Scared (2005) and Kill the Messanger (2008) And by the way, I have *a lot* to say about Kill the Messanger. Maybe that’ll be its own piece one day.
And then, except for the Grown Ups movies and Marty the Zebra and a few smaller projects, he sorta disappeared.
My guess is that he’s been busy being a dad (daughters born in 2002 and 2004) and counting his money.
TAMBORINE
His special Tamborine, purposely spelled incorrectly as an ode to Prince’s Tamborine, came out on Netflix in February of 2018. A happy little comedy special about divorce. If you’re going into this wanting the Chris Rock you loved in the 90s, you might be disappointed. Well, you might be disappointed in the second half. As the AV Club also pointed out, there’s a pretty clear divid between the first and second half.
Let’s talk about Tamborine: The How, The What, and the Why:
PRESENTATION AND DELIVERY (THE HOW)
While he still has moments of vibrancy, there is a definitely mellowing of his physically and his vocals. Sharper. Quieter. Even-humble.
Moment of “Yeah I said it” daring the audience to be offended. In the style of Carlin, he even starts with a BANG if I’ve ever seen one. (Link below to Carlin doing this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTyeBQXk8V4 ) I can understand this being too much for an opener for some people, but damn I love when comedians do this. It’s such a ballsy risk right at the top of the show. Love it. It might not seem ballsy due to the demographic of the audience, but remember what country we live in.
Smaller venue, no flashy outfit, just a comfy tee.
Before it was a concert energy at his shows, there’s booing at the first joke of 1996 Bring the Pain, it’s loud and bombastic, and even though he wasn’t really a def jam guy, it was definitely more inspired by 90s def jam stuff.
His choice to hire Bo Burnham as the director is telling. Bo directed Jerrod Carmichael’s special 8 the previous year, and clearly impressed Rock. He knew he wanted a similar vibe, and it anyone in the comedy world is having a moment right now with staging and lighting, it’s Bo
MATERIAL (THE WHAT)
The first half of the special follows jokes about police brutality, race, bullying, etc. His joke contruction is the same as it’s always been, still does the little repeats for emphasis, still builds a case in a similar way. I remember the New York Times remarking that he mixes the voice of a preacher with that of a litigator, and you definitely see that at play here.
The second half of the special, however, is something altogether different. Chris slows his roll. He gets a little quieter and a lot more intimate. He begins discussing his cheating, his previous porn addiction, his family, and the end of his 16-year marriage. This is clearly new for Rock, and if you’re paying attention, you can see him squirm a little as he tries on this new style.
In prep for this, I interviewed a comedian friend of mine, who made the point that it’s just fun watching a master be a little uncomfortable
Sorta feels like different specials stitched together. The second half might be weaker, but it’s my favorite. I love seeing the seems.
PERSONA (THE WHY)
This is my favorite section. This is the “Okay sure, but why do I care”
We get to see Chris Rock coming to terms with cheating on his wife and breaking up his marriage. One of my favorite things about stand up is how much you can learn about other peoples perspectives. It’s one of the most literal and vulnerable art forms, Without melodies or brushstrokes to softer our points or ease our metaphors. Obviously there’s a lot to Chris Rock has experience in this world that I have not. That goes without saying.
However, this is not a perspective I’m familiar with, and I’m not talking about who he is, I’m talking about what he’s done to someone he loved, and how he understands it. I’ve heard comedians talk about the role they played in their own divorce (Pete Holmes monologues) or how they can be self-destructive (Maron, Thinky Pain)
But this, Chris Rock talking opening about cheating and the end of his 16 year marriage. This felt realer than anything I’ve seen lately. It felt scary and risky and because of that, it felt beautiful. Nanette is Nanette, but you can tell that she’s worked through things, that she’s said those things many many times. And she’s climbing up. Chris Rock isn’t climbing up, he isn’t the victim. How often do you ever see art where the protagonist isnt the victim? And he’s the best example of someone taking responsibility for his shit that I’ve seen in years. Gives me hope. And he wasn’t even accused of anything! He wasn’t placed on trial, he put himself on trial. Sure, it’s possibly an alimony tour, but he didn’t need to mention that
Also, a part of why he used to be great what that he was so plugged in, such a finger on the pulse when he was younger and more apart of the culture. It’s hard (Carlin is maybe the best example) to stay plugged in as you get older, as you have kids, etc. So it makes sense in that way too that he went internal
Some people may see it more like a speech, other may eel like a few specials stitched together
He’s clearly still figuring out who he is and who he wants to be. He seems more comfortable in the older style jokes. But, c’mon. That’s why comedy is awesome. I love seeing the seams. He could have phoned it in. It’s rare that we get to see someone of his caliber sweating. Don’t take that for granted.