Comedians D.L. Hughley and Leslie Jones have defended their colleague Chris Rock, who has received criticism for his most recent comedy special on Netflix, titled “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.” The special was released earlier this month. During the special, Rock made jokes about Will Smith’s marriage, which drew the ire of a number of prominent people, including April Reign, the person responsible for starting the #OscarsSoWhite movement.
In response to a person who left a comment on Hughley’s Instagram post, Jones wrote, “Y’all forget he got slapped in front of the world yo! His kids, his mama, peers EVERYONE! I’m curious to know how each of you would respond to that! And since he is a comedian, this is how he chooses to express himself.”
Hughley also defended Rock’s performance by saying that it was “brilliantly executed” and that those who allow for creative expression would appreciate it. He said this in response to a question about the performance. In addition, he addressed the criticism that Rock’s show was purposefully located in the hometown of Jada Pinkett Smith, saying, “OTHER COMEDIANS have bits about it, it was an opener for most of us.” “CHRIS IS THE ONE PERSON WHOM YOU HAVEN’T HEARD FROM REGARDING IT AT ALL!!”
During the special, Rock addressed the controversy and stated that he had nothing to do with the Oscars slap and that “Will Smith practices selective outrage.” Rock also claimed that he was not responsible for the incident. Others have come to Rock’s defense, arguing that comedy is a form of expression, and that Rock has the right to use it to address painful experiences. Some individuals have criticized Rock’s jokes, but others have come to his defense.