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{{Infobox Comedian
| name = Chris Rock
| image = Replace this image male.svg
| imagesize = 150px
| caption =
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Christopher Julius Rock III
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|2|7}}
| birth_place = [[Andrews, South Carolina]], [[United States|USA]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| medium = [[stand-up comedy]], [[television]], [[film]]
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| active = 1985 - Present
| genre = [[Satire]]/[[Political satire]],<br> [[Observational comedy]]
| subject = [[racism]], [[race relations]], [[current events]], [[American politics]], [[African-American culture]], [[pop culture]], [[human sexuality]], [[marriage]]
| influences = [[Richard Pryor]], [[Bill Cosby]], [[Sam Kinison]], [[Eddie Murphy]], [[Woody Allen]], [[Steve Martin]], [[Mort Sahl]], [[Dick Gregory]], [[Flip Wilson]]
| influenced = [[George Lopez]], [[Dave Chappelle]]
| spouse = Malaak Compton (November 23, 1996 - present) (2 children)
| notable_work= '''Pookie''' in ''[[New Jack City]]'' <br> ''[[Chris Rock: Bring the Pain]]'' <br> '''Det. Lee Butters''' in ''[[Lethal Weapon 4]]'' <br> '''Lance Barton''' in ''[[Down to Earth (2001 film)|Down to Earth]]''<br>'''Rufus''' in ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]''<br>'''Narrator''' <br>in ''[[Everybody Hates Chris]]''<br>'''Caretaker''' in ''[[The Longest Yard (2005 film)|The Longest Yard]]''
| signature =
| website = [http://www.chrisrock.com/ www.chrisrock.com]
| footnotes =
| emmyawards ='''Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program''' <br>1997 ''[[Chris Rock: Bring the Pain]]'' <br>1999 ''[[The Chris Rock Show]]''<br>'''Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special''' <br>1997 ''Chris Rock: Bring the Pain''
| grammyawards = '''[[Best Spoken Comedy Album]]''' <br>1998 ''[[Roll with the New]]''<br>2000 ''[[Bigger & Blacker]]''<br>'''[[Best Comedy Album]]''' <br>2006 ''[[Never Scared]]''
| americancomedyawards= '''Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special''' <br>2000 ''[[Bigger & Blacker|Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker]]''
}}
'''Christopher Julius Rock III'''<ref name="bravo">{{cite episode| title = Chris Rock| episodelink = Inside the Actors Studio| series = Inside the Actors Studio| serieslink = Inside the Actors Studio| network = [[Bravo (television network)|Bravo]]| airdate = 2007-03-13| season = 13| number = 6}}</ref> (born [[February 7]], [[1965]])<ref>{{cite episode| title = Chris Rock and American Idol Fantasia's Big News| episodelink =| series = The Oprah Winfrey Show| serieslink = The Oprah Winfrey Show| network = | airdate = 2007-02-28| season =| number =|}}</ref><!--Rock stated he was 42 years old on this date--> is an [[United States|American]] [[comedian]], [[actor]], [[screenwriter]], [[television producer]], [[film producer]] and [[Film director|director]]. He was described by [[Comedy Central]] as the fifth greatest stand-up comedian of all time. {{Fact|date=July 2007}}
==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.<ref name="bravo"/> His mother, Rosalie Tingman,<ref name="name">http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/special_packages/13267078.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp</ref> was a teacher and social worker with the mentally handicapped, and his father, Julius Rock, was a former truck driver and newspaper deliveryman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rolling Rock: Chris Rock Hits His Hollywood Stride|author=Cindy Pearlman|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/chrisrock/articles/story/5920132/rolling_rock_chris_rock_hits_his_hollywood_stride| publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=[[January 29]] [[2001]]}}</ref> Julius died in 1989 after [[ulcer]] surgery.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chris Rock Biography|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019115/bio}}</ref> Rock has five younger siblings, Andre, [[Tony Rock|Tony]], Brian (a [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]]), Kenny, Andi, and a half-sibling, Jordan.<ref name="name" />
==Career==
===Early career===
Rock began doing stand-up comedy in [[1985]] in [[New York City]]'s [[Catch a Rising Star]].<ref name="bravo"/> 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]]''. Rock also auditioned to be on [[MTV]] as a [[VJ]].<ref>http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1539536&vid=110274</ref>
===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]] 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 cocaine|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]]''. But the show was no longer popular and was cancelled 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]]
*[[M.C. Hammer]]
*[[Nipsey Russell]]
*[[Michael Jackson]]
*[[Whoopi Goldberg]]
*[[Luther Campbell]]
*[[Long Dong Silver]]
*former ''SNL'' cast member [[Eddie Murphy]]
*[[Flavor Flav]]
*[[Arsenio Hall]]
*[[Jaleel White]]
*[[Todd Bridges]]
===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 ''[[Chris Rock: Bring the Pain|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 [[United States presidential election, 1996|1996 Presidential elections]]. 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, Inc.|Nike]] shoe commercials from 1994-1998.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v52/ai_19383834</ref>
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 (magazine)|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 Award]]s 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 album]]s, ''[[Roll with the New]]'', ''Bigger & Blacker'' and ''Never Scared''.
In 2004, Rock was ranked 5th on the [[100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time]] list by [[Comedy Central]].
He is currently working on his fifth HBO special program.<ref name="bravo"/>
===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]]'' and ''[[Nurse Betty]]'' and a starring role in ''[[Down to Earth (2001 film)|Down to Earth]]''. Rock has also increasingly worked behind the camera, both as a writer and director of ''[[Head of State (movie)|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."<ref>{{cite web|title=Icon Chris Rock|url=http://www.maximonline.com/articles/index.aspx?a_id=7480&src=maxim_ed |publisher=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]]|date=[[April 2007]]}}</ref>
===Comedic style===
His comedy typically involves [[race relations]] in the [[United States]], [[politics]], music, romance, and [[Social class|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 people|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 slow."
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 [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]]'s early days Chris Rock made an appearance for [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling|TNA]] wrestling in which he was introduced by [[Brian Gerard James|B. G. James]] and was hit with a chair and beaten up by wrestlers including [[Jeff Jarrett]]. This event was covered in [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling|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]]. 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 (2006 film)|All the King's Men]]''.)
===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-synch]]ing the song.
He directed [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] video for their hit single "Hump De Bump" having been close friends with the Chili Peppers for some time.
===Controversy===
Chris made his first appearance on stage in the UK at the [[Live Earth concert, London|Live Earth]] event 07/07/2007 which was broadcast live on the BBC. Before introducing the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] Chris called the crowd "[[Motherfucker|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. <ref>[http://www.nme.com/news/live-earth/29530]</ref>
Madonna later repeated the "come on motherfuckers" comment during her Live Earth appearance after the watershed
==Personal life==
Rock has been married to Malaak Compton since [[November 23]] [[1996]]. She is the [[Entrepreneur|founder]] and [[board of directors|executive director]] of StyleWorks, a [[non-profit]], full-service [[hair salon|salon]] that provides free services for women leaving [[welfare (financial aid)|welfare]] and entering the workforce. The couple have 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chris Rock Files for Divorce|publisher=[[TMZ.com]]|url=http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/03/chris-rock-files-for-divorce/||date=[[November 3]] [[2006]]}}</ref> Two weeks later, however, TMZ reported that Rock had not filed divorce papers, and that it appeared that the couple was able to work out their differences and stay together. In response to the reports, Rock released a statement to the press denouncing the reports as "untrue rumors and lies".<ref>{{cite web|title=Rock Slams Break-Up Rumors|publisher=Hollywood.com|url=http://www.hollywood.com/news/Rock_Slams_Break_Up_Rumors/3665301|date=[[March 2]] [[2007]]}}</ref>
Tabloids, of course, are familiar territory for Rock and in regards to paparazzi and the other negative aspects of fame, he accepts the bad with the good. "You can't be happy that fire cooks your food and be mad it burns your fingertips."<ref>
{{cite web|title=Everybody Loves Chris |url=http://www.craveonline.com/humor/articles/04647576/everybody_loves_chris.html}}</ref>
Most recently, freelance journalist Kali Bowyer has filed a paternity suit against Chris Rock, claiming he is the father of her son in need of hospitalization.<ref>[http://www.statesboroherald.com/news/article/3183/ Paternity Papers Agsinst Comedian/Actor Chris Rock Filed In Bulloch Court]</ref>
Rock's brother, [[Tony Rock]], is an actor and comedian. Rock currently resides in [[Alpine, New Jersey]].
==Works==
===Filmography===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
|[[1987]]
|''[[Beverly Hills Cop II]]''
|Playboy Mansion Valet
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1988]]
|''[[Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen]]''
|Himself
|[[direct-to-video]] [[concert film]]
|-
|''[[I'm Gonna Git You Sucka]]''
|Rib Joint Customer
|
|-
|[[1989]]
|''[[Who Is Chris Rock?]]''
|Himself
|[[Documentary film|documentary]] [[short film|short]]
|-
|[[1991]]
|''[[New Jack City]]''
|Pookie
|
|-
|[[1992]]
|''[[Boomerang (film)|Boomerang]]''
|Bony T
|
|-
|[[1993]]
|''[[CB4]]''
|Albert/MC Gusto
|also co-writer
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1995]]
|''[[The Immortals (film)|The Immortals]]''
|Deke Anthony
|
|-
|''[[Panther (film)|Panther]]
|Yuck Mouth
|
|-
|[[1996]]
|''[[Sgt. Bilko (film)|Sgt. Bilko]]''
|1st Lt. Oster
|
|-
|[[1997]]
|''[[Beverly Hills Ninja]]''
|Joey
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1998]]
|''[[Dr. Dolittle (film)|Dr. Dolittle]]''
|Rodney
|voice
|-
|''[[Lethal Weapon 4]]''
|Detective Lee Butters
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1999]]
|''[[Torrance Rises]]''
|Himself
|documentary short
|-
|''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]''
|Rufus
|
|-
|[[2000]]
|''[[Nurse Betty]]''
|Wesley
|
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[2001]]
|''[[Down to Earth (2001 film)|Down to Earth]]''
|Lance Barton
|also co-writer
|-
|''[[AI: Artificial Intelligence]]''
|Comedian
|voice
|-
|''[[Pootie Tang]]''
|JB/Radio DJ/Pootie's Father
|also producer
|-
|''[[Osmosis Jones]]''
|Osmosis Jones
|voice
|-
|''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]''
|Chaka Luther King
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2002]]
|''[[Bad Company (2002 film)|Bad Company]]''
|Jake Hayes/Kevin Pope
|
|-
|''[[Comedian (film)|Comedian]]''
|Himself
|documentary
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2003]]
|''[[Pauly Shore Is Dead]]''
|Himself
|
|-
|''[[Head of State (movie)|Head of State]]''
|Mays Gilliam
|also director and co-writer
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2004]]
|''[[The N-Word]]''
|Himself
|documentary
|-
|''[[Paparazzi (film)|Paparazzi]]''
|Pizza Delivery Guy
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[2005]]
|''[[The Aristocrats (film)|The Aristocrats]]''
|Himself
|documentary
|-
|''[[Madagascar (movie)|Madagascar]]''
|Marty
|voice
|-
|''[[The Longest Yard (2005 film)|The Longest Yard]]''
|Caretaker
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[2007]]
|''[[I Think I Love My Wife]]''
|Richard Cooper
|also director and co-writer
|-
|''[[Bee Movie]]''
|Mooseblood the Mosquito
|voice
|-
|''[[The Gilmores of Beverly Hills]]''
|
|
|-
|[[2008]]
|''[[Madagascar 2]]''
|Marty
|voice
|-
|[[2009]]
|''41 Dollars (The Scott Hicks Story)''
|Brad
|
|-
|}
===Selected television work===
*1987 ''[[Miami Vice]]'' (episode "[[List of Miami Vice episodes|Missing Hours]]")
*[[1990]]-[[1993]] ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (cast member)
*1993-[[1994]] ''[[In Living Color]]'' (recurring)
*[[1995]] ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' (episode "[[List of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episodes|Get a Job]]")
*[[1996]]-[[1998]] ''[[The Moxy Show]]'' (voice) (uncredited)
*1996 ''[[Martin (TV series)|Martin]]'' (episode "[[List of Martin episodes|The Love Jones Connection]]")
*1996 ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]'' (episode "[[List of Homicide: Life on the Street episodes|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 "[[List of King of the Hill episodes|Traffic Jam]]")
*1999 ''MTV Video Music Awards'' (host)
*[[2003]] ''MTV Video Music Awards'' (host)
*[[2004]] ''[[77th Academy Awards]]'' (host)
*2004-Present ''[[Everybody Hates Chris]]'' (narrator, creator)
====HBO specials====
*''Uptown Comedy Express'' (1987)
*''[[Big Ass Jokes]]'' (1994)
*''[[Chris Rock: Bring the Pain|Bring the Pain]]'' (1996)
*''[[Bigger & Blacker]]'' (1999)
*''[[Never Scared]]'' (2004)
===Discography===
* ''[[Born Suspect]]'' (1991) Atlantic
* ''[[Roll With the New]]'' (1997) DreamWorks
* ''[[Bigger & Blacker]]'' (1999) DreamWorks
* ''[[Never Scared]]'' (2005) Geffen
===Books===
*''Rock This!'' ([[Hyperion Books]], 1997) - ISBN 0786862890
==See also==
*[[Niggas vs. Black People]], one of Rock's most famous and controversial bits.
*[[Bad Boys of SNL]]
*[[Live Earth]]
==Footnotes==
{{wikiquote}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.chrisrock.com/ Official website]
*[http://standupcomedyacts.blogspot.com/2007/05/chris-rock.html Chris Rock's Stand Up Comedy Acts] a small video collection
*{{imdb name|id=0001674|name=Chris Rock}}
*[http://www.thecomedyfestival.com/ The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas]
*[http://www.craveonline.com/humor/articles/04647576/everybody_loves_chris.html Everybody loves Chris]
{{sequence|
prev=[[Billy Crystal]] <br> [[76th Academy Awards]]|
next=[[Jon Stewart]] <br> [[78th Academy Awards]]|
list=[[Oscars]] [[List of Academy Awards ceremonies|host]]<br>[[77th Academy Awards]]||
}}
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=[[MTV Video Music Awards]] host| before=[[Dennis Miller]]<br>[[Ben Stiller]]<br>[[Jimmy Fallon]] | after=[[Ben Stiller]]<br>[[Marlon Wayans]] and [[Shawn Wayans]]<br> no host| years=1997<br>1999<br>2003}}
{{end box}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rock, Chris}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:African-American actors]]
[[Category:American comedians]]
[[Category:American film actors]]
[[Category:American film directors]]
[[Category:American music video directors]]
[[Category:American screenwriters]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:American television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New York actors]]
[[Category:People from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:People from South Carolina]]
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