We have popular threads on what TV series folks are watching and what movie they watched most recently, but we do not seem to have a thread that covers things like comedy specials, so I thought I would start one, since I could not decide where Chris Rock's recent Netflix special "Selective Outrage" would go.
Full disclosure: I am a pretty big Chris Rock fan. I think when he is on, such as in "Bring on the Pain," he is as good as anyone has ever been as far as cutting edge, in your face, standup. Pryor, Eddie, Bill Hicks, Chappelle, Kinison. (I have heard and seen video of Lenny Bruce, but sadly was not all that impressed. I do not love George Carlin as much as a lot of folks do. He a few glimmers of genius, but that was about it.) That should give you an idea of my tastes in comedy.
Anyway, I was not that impressed with this special, the first time through, until at the end he got to Will Smith. That last part I thought was excellent. Then I re-watched it last night and was more impressed at the skill level. One man on stage bringing it in front of who knows how many people, even if not always laugh out loud funny. His humanity. To seem self-revealing and guarded at the same time. His ability to communicate emotion with a raised eyebrow. To turn a phrase. To deliver a punch line. To keep you off balance.
What did others think? Of course if you tuned in to watch this with your pre-teen children, that was a mistake. If you have a low tolerance for racial politics, this was never going to be your cup of tea.
I would not want to be Will Smith right now.
After seeing it twice, I think a master standup at work. But not consistently his best work.
Full disclosure: I am a pretty big Chris Rock fan. I think when he is on, such as in "Bring on the Pain," he is as good as anyone has ever been as far as cutting edge, in your face, standup. Pryor, Eddie, Bill Hicks, Chappelle, Kinison. (I have heard and seen video of Lenny Bruce, but sadly was not all that impressed. I do not love George Carlin as much as a lot of folks do. He a few glimmers of genius, but that was about it.) That should give you an idea of my tastes in comedy.
Anyway, I was not that impressed with this special, the first time through, until at the end he got to Will Smith. That last part I thought was excellent. Then I re-watched it last night and was more impressed at the skill level. One man on stage bringing it in front of who knows how many people, even if not always laugh out loud funny. His humanity. To seem self-revealing and guarded at the same time. His ability to communicate emotion with a raised eyebrow. To turn a phrase. To deliver a punch line. To keep you off balance.
What did others think? Of course if you tuned in to watch this with your pre-teen children, that was a mistake. If you have a low tolerance for racial politics, this was never going to be your cup of tea.
I would not want to be Will Smith right now.
After seeing it twice, I think a master standup at work. But not consistently his best work.