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Chris Rock questions Meghan Markle’s ‘racism claims’ against royal family in Netflix stand-up show

Comedian brushed off her experience, calling it ‘in-law s***’

Jacob Stolworthy
Monday 06 March 2023 10:59 GMT
Chris Rock unloads on Meghan Markle and royal family over 'racism claims'
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Chris Rock has joked about Meghan Markle’s accusations of racism against the royal family.

The comedian hosted his own stand-up special, titled Selective Outrage, which, in a groundbreaking move for Netflix, was broadcast live on Saturday (4 March).

During the set, he addressed Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey that occurred in April 2021. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry said that, while at 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 brushed off her experience by saying she was merely dealing with “in-law s***”.

“Like, who is this girl Meghan Markle?” he started, adding: “Seems like a nice lady – just complaining. Like didn’t she hit the light-skinned lottery?”

He mocked her claims to Winfrey, saying as Markle: “They’re so racist, they’re so racist.” Rock then said: “Some of that s*** she went through was not racism; it was just some in-law s***.

Rock continued: “Sometimes, it’s just some in-law s*** because she’s complaining, I’m like ‘What the f*** is she talking about?’”

Once again, the comedy star mocked Markle by repeating her claims: “’Oprah, they’re so racist they wanted to know how brown the baby was going to be’ – I’m like, ‘That’s not racist, because even Black people want to know how brown the baby going to be.’”

Rock claimed to know what Markle was “going through”, stating: “I know her dilemma: Black girl trying to be accepted by her white in-laws. Oh, it’s hard. It’s so hard, it’s very hard– but it ain’t as hard as a white girl trying to be accepted by her Black in-laws. Now that s*** is really hard.”

He then quipped: “Meghan Markle, I know the dilemma. I’m like, ‘If you black and you wanted to be accepted by your white in-laws then you need to marry a Kardashian because they accept everybody.’”

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Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle (Getty Images)

Elsewhere in Rock’s special, the comedian roasted Will Smith over the Oscars slap and made a bold Oscars claim about Smith’s wife, Matrix Reloaded star Jada Pinkett Smith.

Fans, however, were quick to point out a glaring error Rock made about Smith’s career during his roast.

Earlier this year, Prince Harry rejected the idea that he and his wife had accused the royal family of racism during the Winfrey interview.

Markle recently found herself mocked in an episode of South Park.

In the episode that aired last month, Markle and Prince Harry were repeatedly sent up, and reports claimedt hat Markle herself was left “upset” by its content.

However, representative for the couple denied reports that they were considering a lawsuit, calling the speculation “nonsense”.

Find the seven most “brutal” moments from the episode here.

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