Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (1999)

Chris Rock returns to the stage a legitimate superstar, and for his venue he's chosen none other than Harlem's Apollo Theater. Everything is bigger and more elaborate this time around: the building, the set, the outfit, and the outrage. But it rarely translates to more laughs. It also doesn't help, looking back a few years later, how archaic a lot of the attitudes expressed by Rock are. His views on parenting and relationships are so outdated (and, it should be noted, were outdated at the time) that it sounds like you're listening to your dad cracking wise. This is only furthered when he begins to weigh in on the Bill Clinton impeachment, which he lays right on Hilary Clinton's doorstep. Rock has always had a way of keeping the ladies onside while making some really questionable observations about them, but I wonder if this particular set tested that infatuation. It sure doesn't help that he again spends the last act of this special criticizing women and being generally negative towards them. Sadly, when he does say something positive, like showing his opposition to homophobia, he uses it more as a transition and never takes the time to sell the idea to the audience, which would have been a brave thing to do in that time and place. It certainly would have set this apart from the other comics who predominantly use their charisma to sell a joke. Still, he does have a unique take on gun control that comes at the issue from a different direction and his prediction of how the A.I.D.S epidemic would develop is almost prophetic. It speaks to what the potential was for this set, and is every time out for Rock. A step down from a legendary feature debut.

Chris Rock will probably be remembered in the future as one of the greatest comedians of the 90's. This stand-up is my second all-time favorite after Dave Chapelle's "Killin'me Softly" . Its amazing how both of these comedians have the ability to connect with thousands of people in a personal level. How they can speak and joke about every-day normal situations that most people would be too embarrassed to even mention. This stand-up, is a great example of what I'm saying. Chris Rock makes jokes from subjects such as bullet control, to the whole Monica Lewinsky scandal, to relationships between married couples, that make you laugh until you cry. This is truly a must-see comedy stand-up

I'm a big fan of stand-up comedy, and this has to be one of the funniest I've ever seen. I must have seen this 50 times. And that is no exaggeration. Every time, I still laugh my ass. It's a toss-up, but I'd say that this is funnier than his first stand-up special, Bring the Pain. Please, Chris, do more stand-up.

I was not old enough to know or appreciate Lenny Bruce. The comics I grew up with used foul language for the sake of foul language. On the surface, one might make this assessment of Chris Rock. That would be a tragedy. This guy is one of the smartest, most insightful, challenging entertainers to be found today. To watch this video, you have to tolerate the language, but if you can, the content is fantastic. The first 14 minutes are a strangely Dr.-Laura like tirade on parenting, gender relations, and responsibility. But delivered by Chris Rock, it's a whole different experience. Other topics include Clinton's escapades, racial relations in America (with surprising atypical conclusions) and sexual relations between couples. As the video goes on, the content gets raunchier, so if you want great social commentary, but aren't interested in his theories on the three ways women relate to oral sex, then skip the last 15 minutes. All in all, though, I found myself laughing myself silly, and thinking seriously about the subject matter. And I am a white, rural clergyman. Go figure.