Chris Rock Talks About Trayvon Martin, Race In America Today
Comedian Chris Rock inflamed internet racial tensions last month with his accurate quip that the Independence Day we all celebrate on July 4 didn’t actually signal independence for much of the population (as slaves weren’t freed for several more decades), but, in a new interview, the popular stand-up and film star speaks on the issue in a bit more of a direct way.
Chris Rock is known for his light yet spot-on treatment of the issue of being black in America today, with a skill for pointing out truths in such a way that you can laugh while appreciating the gravity of the situation. Rock, now approaching 50 (“New Jack City was a loooooong time ago,”) sat down with the men’s mag Details to talk about a few current events and whatnot recently, and Rock explains not every race issue has a funny side.
On the subject of Trayvon Martin, the interviewer asks if Rock thinks it’s too soon to make jokes about the tragedy. Rock opines that the situation is just sad all around and explains:
“There’s no joke there, unfortunately. It’s sad. When you get old, it’s like, ‘Damn it, I’ve seen this.’ I’m from Bed-Stuy. I marched for Yusuf Hawkins, you know? I don’t totally agree with Bill Cosby. He said it wasn’t racial, it’s a gun issue. Well, it’s a gun-racial issue. You know what makes you approach a six-foot-three black guy in the middle of the night? A gun. Paul Blart’s not supposed to have a gun.”
Happy white peoples independence day the slaves weren’t free but I’m sure they enjoyed fireworks
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) July 4, 2012
Rock also addresses Barack Obama’s performance,and suggests that he and the Commander-in-Chief are bros. When asked about talking to a cardboard Obama in his new film, 2 Days In New York, Rock says:
“I mean, if I want to talk to him, I can call him. Dude, being the first black anything sucks. But the country was in shambles, and he’s cleaning it up. If you properly clean a room, it gets dirtier before it gets cleaner. Ever come back to your hotel room before the maids are finished? My God! Republicans are complaining. Romney’s complaining. But Romney’s rich. He doesn’t know shit about cleaning.”
Last month, when we covered the racial tensions unmasked by Chris Rock’s slavery tweet, many commenters expressed that racial strife in the US was by and large an issue of the past — suggesting that discussion of race and prejudice somehow precipitate the conflict rather than the other way around. But Rock recalls a time not too long ago when he experienced a much different America than the one we believe we live in, describing his experiences in school:
“I was [bussed] to a school in Gerritsen Beach in Brooklyn in 1972. I was one of the first black kids in the history of the school. There were parents with signs: NIGGER GO HOME. For all intents and purposes, the United States had been practicing apartheid until ’68. I was spit on every day. I had water balloons with piss thrown at me. I was f***ing Carrie.”
Do you think Chris Rock’s view of race in America is the more accurate version, or do you think not talking about racism will somehow magically make it go away?
Tags : chris rock, chris rock barack obama, Chris Rock controversy, chris rock racism, chris rock trayvon martin, Chris rock tweet, chris rock twitter, Reverse Racism, Trayvon Martin, white people's day chris rock, white peoples independence day, white people’s day
Posted: August 13, 2012
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Aug 13, 2012
who cares what the loser thinks he hasn't did anything in what ten years.
Aug 13, 2012
I guess asking a comedian about issues really makes sense. not at all.
Aug 13, 2012
He Completely Right
Aug 13, 2012
Racim will always be here as long as there white people Running everything.
Aug 13, 2012
Racism
Aug 13, 2012
Left wingers adopted satire as their choice form of political communication… it's all jokes, until someone's feelings get hurt, then they were serious the whole time… or, they were serious, and someone calls them out on unsubstantiated facts, and they switch to "it was all jokes; where's your senese of humor"… c'est la vie
Aug 13, 2012
don't get me wrong, I laugh at the jokes – Jon Stewart is hilarious, but a political pundit he is not.
Aug 13, 2012
Ever walk into a place you know you don't belong? When was the last time you felt awkward around your own kind? I'm human just like the next person but, I get categorized by my skin tone and the depth of my voice. On a personal and political level it means nothing because the status-qua for us/me is set. hell yeah racism still exist but, due to the violent nature of most folks its kept online or behind closed doors.
Aug 13, 2012
Chris Rock is a..you know the word.
Aug 13, 2012
Chris Rock is a racist piece of crap.
Aug 13, 2012
Chris was spot on, there is a racial bias in this, What do rep mean taking our country back from WHO!, were all AMERICANS we fought and DIED FOR THIS COUNTRY, JUST to COME HOME AND BE TREATED LIKE SECOND RATE PEOPLE. Eating and lodgeing in certain hotels and restraunts. I grew up in the 60s Isaw the whites only water fountans and bathrooms. Blaack people better wake up just because you have a little money you cant vote rep, Mitt has already said he does not CARE bout poor people, look around 90% of america is poor. BLACKS worried bout same sex marriage its not BIBICALLY SOUND but they are Americans, I Dnt care that's between them and GOD, What worries me is where this country is heading THANK YOU.
Aug 13, 2012
Racism is alive, well and living in every corner of this country.
Aug 13, 2012
This is a clear case of bully meeting up , with another bully , only one bully had a gun but not racial , but it can if you want it to be it can be.me I say it wasn't.
Aug 13, 2012
What the hell is wrong with you? What you saying is just as racist any comment on this page. I'm in Detroit which is a very high % of African American and where a thug African American Mayor ripped off our city but I don't sit and cry about "the black man". Every one is trying to stay a float and there is just as much racial badgering toward us "white folks" as there is toward every race. Grow the hell up.
Aug 14, 2012
Yeah you never heard white people complaining here in detroit about how Kwame Kilpatrick stole money from our city to pay his bills,prostitutes,drugs,gangs. We have african american folks in charge here and shit sucks. But like Chris Malone says, we dont blame"the black man". He was an asshole, like other assholes. Whether they are purple, yellow,black white, an asshole is an asshole.
Aug 14, 2012
CHris Rock is an idiot just like the author.
Aug 14, 2012
In 1963, white people were astonished at the "March On Washington". They were not prepared to hear things like this: "But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land." nor this: "In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." In fact, if you had polled white people, they would have probably told you that race relations were "just fine". Despite the complaints leveled in that speech, all white people heard was: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Less than 10 days after that speech, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL was bombed killing 4 little girls, and it's never referred to as an "act of terrorism". I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. So when Chris Rock, says something that "inflames racial tensions" what you mean is that white people want to have amnesia and Black people won't let them.
Aug 14, 2012
Gee Chris, I'm really bleeding for you. No, really. Considering that almost 50 years after the "I Have A Dream Speech" Black people who comprise only 13% of the population comprise nearly 70% of the prison population even though whites are arrested twice as much; I feel your pain. Even though the American unemployment rate is at 8%, the unemployment rate for Blacks is at 25% and has been that way for over a decade; I'm crushed for you, really,really crushed. On the subject of corruption, do the names George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich, or Tom DeLay ring a bell? But you can remember the "thug African American Mayor" who ripped off the city, but not his name, oddly enough-It's Kwame Kilpatrick. So if he's a "thug" what does that make the other three I mentioned? Let me guess, distinguished gentlemen?. But I do greive for you, no, really Chris, I do.
Aug 14, 2012
And Rush Limbaugh and Michael Wiener, oops, Michael Savage are just the great debaters of our time.
Aug 14, 2012
where's the "dislike" button on here, because some of these comments are ridiculous. How can you NOT see where Rock is coming from on racism and politics. For everyone that thinks Obama is a huge waste of time, and I will admit I don't agree with 100% of everything he does, but why don't you run for president and see how easy it is to clean up an 8 YEAR mess. Fall back, and if you not apart of the solution, then your apart of the problem. Rock is 100% accurate on everything he said. and if you cant see that, then take your blinders off. Comment if you want, I'm done.
Aug 14, 2012
Rock is just a racist, how much money has that piece of crap made now?
Aug 14, 2012
You wont see a dislike button on a racist site like this.
Aug 14, 2012
Do cry for me Angelo and thank you for assuming what I think about work events. I worked to pay for school and there is always a job out there. Your stats are a bit skewed but that's fine. It's funny that you immediatley cry racism but you treat me like you are assuming I treat others. It would be different if I had more opportunities than you but I don't regardless of your "stats". If I said jokes about African Americans in the same way Chris rock blasts us. Jesse and Al would be on the news immediatley.
Aug 14, 2012
Swish, my friend, racism has not gone away. As much as we like to fancy ourselves as a "progressive" nation, were not. When President Obama was elected,the schizophrenia was exposed. The notion that Black people are inherently inferior collided with the self image of a "progressive" nation and as one force meets another force, they cancel each other out and dispel a great deal of energy. The "energy" in this instance was the "Tea Party". Now as the notion of white supremacy collapses on itself, the mass hatred of the President becomes so dense that it creates a political "black hole" as it were, whose gravitational pull is so great that it sucks in everything around it including common sense. The good news is that such a black hole can lead to the other side of human intelligence and transcend such antiquated and illogical thinking. One can only hope.
Aug 14, 2012
Man some white people are very funny. In there apporach so y'all only form of discrediting my. Statements was to point out One Black Man in POLICTICS mind you that was a Lying., Stealing, Asshole. But failed to point out. They your. Race has been Lying,Stealing and robbing people blind and getting away with it for Centuries smdh. White Politicians have single Handed Destoryed America and its Economy just to make another Billion a year. White Greed is a Deep Root that nobody else can even Measure up Too all the Fuckery you done to everybody else and you think your shit don't Stink, You Raped,Beat and Stole everything from an entire Race in just because of Hate and Greed You Raped our Underage Women Repeatedly messed up their insides to the point till some of them died because of it, not the mention when they got pregent,With your Kids you Disowned,Them Like they wasn't yours. U took the black man away from his Family inslaved him Hung him, Beat him,Staved him and Made him socially illiterate ,And let not Get on the Jim Crow era. 1870 Till 1970 But I won't ill end this Debate with this. You had Free Labor 400 years you Killed us For 400 years you Raped our women for 400,how many of those People went to jail? The KKK is still a Organization and all the Killing and torturing they did and Still do How Many member have went to jail for the crimes against AFRICAN AMERICANS? Ya are No different From the Nazi's. But all white are not Racist that would be, a very wrong statement, but all the. Fuckery my people Been though, you damn right I can say shit that. You can't say when atleast deserve that don't we?
Aug 14, 2012
Where did you hear that Trayvon was a bully?
Aug 14, 2012
Do you really think making money maeks a person exempt or are you really this obtuse? How is Rock a racist?
Aug 14, 2012
Comedians are often far more observant and thoughtful than many people. That'shy people pay to hear their perspective of things.
Aug 14, 2012
What has ChrisRock said that was racist? Put facts where your mouth is?
Aug 14, 2012
Thanks Angelo. I appreciate you making so many assumptions and providing me outdated Wiki percentages.
Just so you know whether Black or White we don't respect what "Kwame" did to our city. But I guess its great being white because we are trouble free and apparently always get treated the best. Here are some current facts, not from 2008 for you, http://www.city-data.com/city/Detroit-Michigan.html I think you notice that white folks in Detroit make up 8% of the population even though we have one of the highest murder and crime rates in the U.S…..Us white folks must be sneaking in to perform crimes to hit your stats above
Aug 14, 2012
Man some white people are very funny. In there apporach so y'all only form of discrediting my. Statements was to point out One Black Man in POLICTICS mind you that was a Lying., Stealing, Asshole. But failed to point out. They your. Race has been Lying,Stealing and robbing people blind and getting away with it for Centuries smdh. White Politicians have single Handed Destoryed America and its Economy just to make another Billion a year. White Greed is a Deep Root that nobody else can even Measure up Too all the Fuckery you done to everybody else and you think your shit don't Stink, You Raped,Beat and Stole everything from an entire Race in just because of Hate and Greed You Raped our Underage Women Repeatedly messed up their insides to the point till some of them died because of it, not the mention when they got pregent,With your Kids you Disowned,Them Like they wasn't yours. U took the black man away from his Family inslaved him Hung him, Beat him,Staved him and Made him socially illiterate ,And let not Get on the Jim Crow era. 1870 Till 1970 But I won't ill end this Debate with this. You had Free Labor 400 years you Killed us For 400 years you Raped our women for 400,how many of those People went to jail? The KKK is still a Organization and all the Killing and torturing they did and Still do How Many member have went to jail for the crimes against AFRICAN AMERICANS? Ya are No different From the Nazi's. But all white are not Racist that would be, a very wrong statement, but all the. Fuckery my people Been though, you damn right I can say shit that. You can't say when atleast deserve that don't we?
Nov 3, 2012
BULLSHIT. racism will always be alive. blacks are the biggest racists of all time. they hate ALL whites. even whites who have never done a fucking thing to them. they hate just by skin color. that makes them EXACTLY the same as white racists.
Nov 3, 2012
and by every COLOR of this country. not just whites… EVERY RACE IS RACIST.
Nov 3, 2012
there is racism in every race. neither is acceptable, however, when those in positions of authority exhibit racism, its especially heinous.