Rock and Roll. Chris ‘Rock’, that is and ‘Roll’ in the aisles with laughter is what we did. About ten years ago, we attended a Chris Rock appearance at Caesar’s Windsor Casino which is just across the Detroit River from downtown Detroit.
When the comedian came on stage, he seemed truly bewildered by the audience, all white with just a smattering of blacks. He even commented about being so close to Detroit and very few black people.
This surprise did not stop this irreverent comedic genius in any way, shape or form. No one was safe from his verbal arrows. This was the year before Barack Obama was first elected as President of the United States. Baffled by this name, Rock went on emphasizing each part of the candidate’s name: “Barack Hussein Obama.” Rock claimed that the name sounded like a tribesman that should have a spear in his hand with his foot on the recently killed lion.
And then it was George Bush’s turn. “George Bush doesn’t give a f _ _ _. If you were hanging out a window twelve stories high, hanging on by your fingertip, Bush wouldn’t give a f _ _ _.”
And now the boomerang is returning. What is the point of this blog? We all know the success that Chris Rock has had by peeling back political correctness and exposing areas of life and thought hidden in the deep recesses of our minds. Chris Rock says what we think and has become a tremendous and wealthy success doing just that. How does he get away with it?
I am not a psychiatrist nor a sociologist, but the truth lies in what Thomas Marsh and I are doing by starting the conversation about race which was triggered by our book Black and White Like You and Me.
Talk openly to others, not in a condescending or judging manner but in a truly seeking understanding way.
I mentioned the song by Brad Paisley and LL Cool J, “The Accidental Racist” in another blog. I highly recommend listening to the words of that song very carefully. I also recommend listening to Chris Rock in a more than superficial manner, not just enjoying his humor. I believe that the biggest reason for his success and that his legacy eventually will be that he doesn’t give a f _ _ _ about exposing the hypocrisy and weaknesses in humans. Pay attention; you may someday give a f _ _ _ about others.
Photo source: Cleveland.com
