In just ten quick years we’ve gone from “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” to “Chris Rock only cares about black people.”
Chris Rock is certainly no stranger to delicate situations involving comedy. In fact, his career is almost founded on it. During his last appearance as host on Saturday Night Live, Rock had consecutive jokes about 9/11 and the Boston Marathon. He would begin, “Twenty-six miles is a long drive…twenty-six miles! You’ve been training for a year, you cross the finish line and someone yells RUN!”
This of course leads little room for surprise in the vitriol facing Rock after his Oscars performance, both in the monologue and bits within the awards show. Rock addressed the absence of a few actors, but focused on Jada Pinkett Smith. Of her anger toward her husband’s, Will Smith, lack of recognition from The Academy, Rock said he “gets it,” but “ain’t she on a TV show? Jada is going to boycott the Oscars—Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.” He would later add, “You get mad—it’s not fair that Will was paid $20 million for ‘Wild Wild West’. Ok.” This prompted criticism from many in the Black Lives Matter community, most noticeably writer Shaun King, who condemned Rock for attacking a woman of color making a statement. Whether Shaun King has professional or social merit is up for debate depending on you ask. But he does assume that the black community as it reflects in the BLM movement is on par with the black representation in Hollywood, and even with Rock specifically.
Chris Rock would be the first to separate himself from an idea of a consensus black monolith. In his 1996 special Rock most notoriously pondered aloud, “Who’s more racist? Black people or white people? Black people! You know why? Because we hate black people too!” Not to champion Rock’s sentiment or even comment on the substance, but the consequential backlash against Chris Rock following a performance is almost inherent.
This is only furthered by Rock’s “distasteful” remarks regarding Asian stereotypes of sweatshop labor, and stereotypes such as wealth management regarding Jews. Rock’s jokes were directed amongst young Asian and presumably Jewish children standing behind him. Few would argue the remarks were harshly aimed to put the kids down, but more a lazy shot kept in the back pocket. The young and “innocent” children, one of whom would admit she was unaware beforehand of the quip, definitely act as a catalyst for the negative public perception Rock received. The bystander children coupled with the typically reserved atmosphere of gallery award shows. Take for instance last year’s risqué moment being Neil Patrick Harris strutting about in nothing but a pair of slim white underwear. Even Rock himself made light of the previously safe and stale atmosphere, saying in the monologue, “You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job. So y’all would be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.”
From the perspective of the Oscars’ casting direction this year, they did a phenomenal job regarding the on-set direction. Rock’s presence as host thwarted viewer boycott, for at least the opening monologue. This contention of cable-cutters who did at least watch the monologue did include Mr. King himself. The star power, precarious nature of his content, and the racial tension regarding the Oscars created a perfect storm for a dense moment in pop-culture, which for quite some time has been something evading the award show.