Chris Rock: Fans furious at comedian for ‘punching down Black women’
‘First, it was South Park. Now, Chris Rock has destroyed Meghan Markle’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Chris Rock’s fans are furious at him for taking shots at Jada Pinkett Smith and Meghan Markle in a live set for Netflix titled Selective Outrage.
On Saturday (4 March), the 58-year-old comedian performed a live set for the streaming giant where he roasted Will Smith for slapping him at the Oscars in March 2022, blamed Jada Pinkett Smith for starting this “s***,” and joked about Meghan Markle’s accusations of racism against the royal family.
Speaking of Pinkett Smith, Rock claimed that she attempted to force him to quit hosting the Oscars in 2016 because her husband didn’t get a Best Actor nomination.
That year, Smith was being considered as a nominee for Concussion, but he ultimately failed to make the list.
“Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars. I shouldn’t host ‘cause her man didn’t get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f***ing concussion,” Rock joked. He said The Girls Trip star “started this whole s***”.
In the same set, Rock also addressed Markle’s April 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that while at the Buckingham Palace, there were “concerns” raised about “how dark” their baby’s skin might be before Archie was born.
Rock questioned the belief that Markle was the victim of racism, and said she was merely dealing with “in-law s***”.
Soon after the live stream, many fans started calling out Rock for his “rude” statements.
“Chris Rock called Jada Pinkett Smith a b*tch and said Meghan Markle played the race card,” wrote lawyer Exavier Pope. “Punching down on Black women. Clownery.”
Another person added: “America has woken up to the fraud. Look at this room of Black people laughing the heck out of Meghan Markle. First, it was @SouthPark. Now, Chris Rock has destroyed Meghan Markle.”
One person wrote: “It don’t matter your hue, if you are a famous Black woman, Chris Rock will drag you for giggles. He ain’t for the culture cause he had endless things to make a laughing matter of, and chose to be mean to Meghan under the guise of parody. Nah, you mean harm, Chris.”
“So Chris Rock’s weak a** decided to go in on Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and kept up his already 20-plus years of attacking Jada,” one person wrote.
Another added: “Chris Rock, you are not funny. The Meghan Markle pile-on has got to stop. The mention of her name is so lucrative mfs forget that she’s a human being.”
The Independent has contacted Rock’s representatives for comment.
During his set, Rock also spoke about Smith and his wife’s marital issues.
“Will Smith practices selective outrage. Because everybody knows what the f*** happened,” Rock said in an extended riff towards the end of the 70-minute special.
Rock also said that he was “not a victim”.
“But I’m not a victim baby. You will never see me on Oprah or Gayle, crying,” he said. “Never gonna happen. I took that hit like Paquiao,” he said, referring to former professional boxer Manny Pacquiao.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments