Rock (at) the Oscars! (UPDATED)

Lots of people are on Chris Rock’s case all of a sudden. The selected emcee for the upcoming Oscar festivities is up for lots of criticism lately, in general for his R-rated comedy routines (as if he just started cussing yesterday), and for this comedic line in particular.

"Abortion, it's beautiful, it's beautiful abortion is legal. I love going to an abortion rally to pick up women, cause you know they are f**king!”

Abortion foes far and wide have derided Rock for this lone statement, including a blogger with which I often agree (warning: really graphic photo contain therein).

One of the things for which conservative pundits—both professional and amateur—often chastise liberals is lifting statements out of their context. This Slate commentary shows that liberals aren’t the only ones prone to this very human fault.

Far from an encomium [ed. Note: the dead-tree dictionary comes in handy yet again!] to fetus killing, Rock's abortion bit is an attack on women for the frivolous manner in which they decide whether or not to keep a child. "When a woman gets pregnant, it's a choice between the woman"—here Rock pauses, a mischievous grin barely restrained—"and her girlfriends." From there: "One girlfriend goes, 'Child, you should have that baby—that man got some good hair…' And the other girlfriend says, 'Child, why we even talking about this—ain't we supposed to go to Cancun next week? Get rid of that baby!' " And that, Rock says, "is how life is decided in America."

The assumption is that women who get abortions are frivolous and irresponsible rather than poor and desperate, as a liberal might have it. Not much there to offend a conservative's sensibilities.

See what happens when one doesn’t know the whole story?

Another problem that I have with the hue and cry about the selection of Rock as the Oscar emcee is the complaint about his language in his shows. One doesn’t think Rock has at least a modicum of self-control why, exactly?

Two previous emcees of the Oscars, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg, weren’t exactly known for their G-rated stand-up routines.

And to take the self-control issue a step further, as far as I know Rock hasn’t thrown his wife over to marry his son’s nanny, as Mr. Williams did. (How soon we forget.)

And, though it happened long after her Oscar stint, have we forgotten Ms. Goldberg’s pre-election Bush musings?

With all of this information at hand, I’m wondering what the so-called controversy about Chris Rock really is about.

However, the cynic in me says that this is what it's about: to get folks to watch the Oscars, silly! ;-)

(Thanks to Steve H.)

UPDATE: More Rock routine from Slate regarding single mothers:

"If a kid calls his grandma 'mama' and his mama 'Pam,' he's going to jail," Rock explains. To all the women who leave their kids at home so they can pop some bubbly at the club, Rock has this advice: "Go take care of those kids before they rob me in 10 years."

It's funny 'cause it's true.

UPDATE: Welcome Roger's readers! I must reconsider my thoughts on self-promotion. :-)

Comments

[ilyka]

I think Steve has a point that Rock's a closet conservative, albeit a moderate one. I've never found him too offensive; about the only thing I'd pick on him for is his saying white people would never vote in a black president (it's in the middle of an old bit he did on Colin Powell if I remember right). But even that I don't see the point of getting outraged over. I just disagree.

To me he's simply a guy who knows that comedy is the art of saying what everyone secretly thinks anyway, and making it funny. And that the man can definitely do.

[Solomon]

There are black folks still bristling over Rocks "Blacks and N******" contrast and comparison. It was so true that I almost made a "Church of Rock" t-shirt. Chris Rock is one of the best comedians around and plays the game well. I say "grow up" to the folks who take stuff out-of-context on the regular.

[baldilocks]

ilyka says: To me he's simply a guy who knows that comedy is the art of saying what everyone secretly thinks anyway, and making it funny.

Yes. I think that's what many people forget about comedy.

Solomon says: There are black folks still bristling over Rocks "Blacks and N******" contrast and comparison. It was so true that I almost made a "Church of Rock" t-shirt.

:::snort, remember nighttime-visit-to-the-ATM routine::: The truth hurts, no?

[Glenmore]

I'm not a Chris Rock fan, but he's got a good, caustic wit. A classic style - Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor come to mind. But I'm not going to not watch the Oscars because of him. I wasn't going to watch them anyway. And because of all the press, I might just pause on them a few minutes while surfing. So I guess the powers in charge achieved their goal in hiring him.

[Phelps]

I wouldn't say that he is a closet conservative at all -- I would say that he is an out and out libertarian conservative. Anti-draft, anti-taxes, anti-affirmative action, pro-personal responsibility, pro-responsible parenting.

[c hthonic]

If Don Rumsfeld said the stuff that Chris Rock did people would call him a racist and discount what he said as typical right wing hyperbole. I might watch the Oscars this year just to see who he pisses off.

[baldilocks]

c hthonic: If Don Rumsfeld said the stuff that Chris Rock did people would call him a racist and discount what he said as typical right wing hyperbole.

Which proves the time-tested axiom that life ain't fair.

[Demond S. Hunter]

This is the same comedian who got on a D.C crowd about reelecting Marion Barry for mayor.... I believe he said something to this nature "Smoke Crack get your job Back" Chris Rock is funny and although I don't have an interset in the Oscars. I am sort of curious what he might say to the Hollywierd prima donas.

[StinKerr]

I never watch the Oscars. But I just might tune in too. Mission accomplished, press agents.

Lots of comedians have different material depending on the venue. I understand that Johnny Carson's Las Vegas performances got pretty "blue".

I think Bill Cosby is the only exception. I have never heard of him doing "blue" material.

Funny you should mention Dick Gregory, Glenmore. I thought of him too when I read the article. I sure have missed seeing him all these years. He told the truth, made you laugh and left you with something to think about.

[CGHill]

Bill Cosby once put out an album called 8:15/12:15, in which he does basically the same Vegas show, first at the dinner hour, then late at night. The early crowd got cleaner material, but I wouldn't call his late-night stuff really "blue"; these days it would muster a PG-13 rating, maybe.