Wise Words From Chris Rock

Yes, Chris Rock is a notoriously funny man who can make anyone laugh on cue. What most people do not know about Chris Rock is that he is amazingly smart and tactile when speaking about current events. Most people shy away from speaking on hot topics such as race, gun control, and the power of riches, but Chris Rock meets these questions head on.

On November 30th 2014, New York Magazine released an interview with Chris Rock in promotion of his new movie "Top Five." During a promotional interview, most actors/comedians stick to a light and funny interview to attract people to see the movie. Chris Rock however, discussed Ferguson, Bill Cosby, and the problems with Fox News. He is not afraid to piss people off, and his opinion is well informed.

The interview starts right off the bat with a statement about Fox News. Rock states, "Jon Stewart has said the reason Fox News works better than CNN is because the people at Fox News figured out how to make themselves into victims." A poignant point. 

Perhaps his most interesting insights are when discussing race and the current issues happening in Ferguson. When asked about his view on the problem he said, "When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it’s all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they’re not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before. So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he’s the first black person that is qualified to be president. That’s not black progress. That’s white progress. There’s been black people qualified to be president for hundreds of years."

This is not a view point many people take when talking about race. The way we phrase progress can sometimes regress the capabilities and rights of other races. There should be no glass ceiling, there should be no qualification issues. 

While this interview was very serious, a Chris Rock comedy special really stands out for being politically forward. In the clip below, Chris Rock states his views on gun control. The video is from 1999 (post Columbine) and was very controversial at the time: 

Chris Rock is someone we need to hear more from. He is fearless and intelligent. He has the ability to be comedian, but also be interesting as hell. I cannot wait to hear what he has to say next. 

I would encourage all to read the full New York Magazine article here. Its lengthy, but worth it: 
http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/chris-rock-frank-rich-in-conversation.html?mid=twitter_nymag