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Comparing Chris Rock - by Shayne Michael

Chris Rock is the most improved stand-up comic working today. This article compares his 1995 HBO special "Bring In The Pain" with his 1999 HBO special "Bigger & Blacker". My goal is to explain why the second special, "Bigger & Blacker" was such an improvement. Both specials are brilliant. However, the 1995 special is Carlin brilliant. The second special goes to a level even Carlin can't touch. This essay will explain why.

Before I start I should share the elements that are common to both.

First, Rock often gets huge laughs by reciting simple truths. Then he uses parallel illustrations and act outs to show how ridiculous or hypocritical each truth is. For example, when he discusses divorce and alimony, he asks if the women becomes accustomed to getting money shouldn't the man become accustomed to getting sex.

So, why is the second special better? There are some technical details that separate the two specials. The 1995 video is somewhat in the wrong order, pushing very controversial material to the middle of the act and ending with what is considered accepted common wisdom. But these technicalities are only a small part of the improvement. First, the foundation of his 1999 special is more solid and more clearly stated. It's also easier to relate to across cultural lines. Furthermore, Rock does a better job illustrating the premises his act is built on. The number of parallel lines he draws doubles. The number of times he acts out the premises triples. The amount of times he simply repeats himself are almost cut in half.

Bring In The Foundation

First, look at the opening material in each special. In "Bring in the Pain", the opening bit is about the Million Man March. In "Bigger & Blacker" the opening bit is about Columbine. In the first special Rock complains that Marion Barry, who admitted to doing crack, is still representing blacks at their finest hour. In the second video, Rock explains why young white teenagers scare him. Why is the second opening bit more compelling? In the first example, Rock is saying things haven't changed. In his second special he is saying they have. Which opening bit sounds more like poetic justice? Generally speaking, doesn't poetic justice makes better comedy?

Here's a break down of the truths (aka premises) presented in each video. If the truth is in italics it's very culturally specific. If it's in bold it presents a strong compelling fact. If there is an * after it also challenges what some people would call common sense.

Bring In The Pain (The Foundation: 1995)

• Even at our best times black people are misrepresented.*
• The ghetto was never so good to begin with.
• Drugs sell themselves.
• We shouldn't limit what anyone eats when people are starving elsewhere.*
• Pigs feet are sick.
• Colin Powell can't win the election.*
• Jails are better than the ghetto. *
• OJ verdict was right. But everyone's overreacting.*
• Women will go too far if they know they can.
• Black people are more annoyed at black people's faults than white people.
• You're suppose to take care of your kids.
• Welfare reform only scares a small segment of the black population.
• Everyone can get a job.
• The media isn't the problem. *
• You get more respect, in the ghetto, coming from jail than from college.
• MLK blvd is synonymous with violence.
• Women have the same number of sex partners as men, but count differently. *
• Women are as sick as men.*
• Commitment is better in the long run.

Bigger & Blacker (The Foundation: 1999)

• White teenagers are more dangerous than any black person.*
• Some people are crazy. You can't eliminate the word crazy.*
• Parents are at fault when kids go crazy.*
• You can raise a kid alone, that doesn't mean you should.*
• Parents who do nothing but go clubbing end up with dumb kids.
• Dads who take care of homes get no respect.*
• It's okay to get a job through friendly connections.*
• Anyone you hate will end up within your family.
• The government and insurance companies are thieves.*
• Doctors don't cure things because there is no money in it*
• Indians had it worse than anyone.*
• Black leaders aren't what they use to be.*
• Everyone lacks self esteem except huge black women.
• Girls know who they'll have sex with the minute they meet them.
• Men lie about everything. Women tell bigger lies.*
• Women need this; Men need this.

In the second video more than half Rock's bits involve exposing hypocrisy by pointing out common sense that is based on flawed thinking. Almost every premise in "Bigger & Blacker" can be challenged And, I know what some comics are saying. Every bit I do doesn't need to change people's thinking? Maybe. But, how much more likely is the audience to remember you if every bit you deliver challenges someone's point of view?

Why Is "Bigger & Blacker" More Compelling?

Rock's biggest improvement between both specials was strengthening his foundation by selecting more compelling premises. On the surface most of these premises don't seem more compelling, until you look back and see how many premises debunk common wisdom. Here's some of the common wisdom challenged in the second video:

• Single parent households are okay
• Doctors are honest good people
• Woman are more truthful than men

If you were just to write a speech debunking these thoughts, eliminating all comedy, wouldn't it still be compelling? That's how you can tell if you're a great comic. If you removed all the comedy, do you think people would still listen to your act. If the answer is yes, you will challenge the masters of the industry.

It's All Relative

This is another reason the second special is such an improvement. Look how many premises from "Bring in the Pain" are specific to black cultural.

• Even in great times black people are misrepresented.
• Ghetto was never so good to begin with
• Pigs feet are sick
• Colin Powell can't win the election.
• Black people are more annoyed at black people's faults than white people.
• Welfare reform only scares a small segment of the black population.
• Jails are better than the ghetto.
• You get more respect, in the ghetto, coming from jail than from college.
• MLK blvd is synonymous with violence.

Almost half the underlying foundation of "Bring in the Pain" is about being black. And I know what comics are saying. "What's wrong with that?" Absolutely nothing. Here's what I find ironic. Many of the premises in Bigger & Blacker" could have also been presented as if they were about black culture. Yet, Rock made them feel more universal by changing the wording just a little.

• Some people are crazy. You can't eliminate the word crazy.*
• You can raise a kid alone, that doesn't mean you should.*

Could have just as easily been presented as:

• Some people in the ghetto are crazy.
• When you live in the hood with one parent, your life is screwed.
• Rock made the premise just a little more general in the second video. But that eliminates the cultural aspects about being black, right? Wrong. If anything, it made it stronger. Because, after Rock stated the broader premise in "Bigger & Blacker", he inserted the cultural factor in the way he acted the premises out.

Building On A Rock

"Bring in the Pain" looses a lot of the rich metaphors, similes and cultural references that make "Bigger & Blacker" more compelling. In Bigger & Blacker" Rock often simply restates the premise four or five times instead of acting it out. Rock relies on redundancy. "Why don't you be a man... Why don't you be a man... Why don't you be a fucking man..."

Why don't you get a fucking thesaurus?

In Bigger & Blacker there are at least 130 examples of acting out the premise. There are at least 85 examples of parallel structure, that start with phrases like: "that would be like". In "Bring in the Pain", I counted about 65 examples of each and an equal number of repetitions.

In comedy you can say something just different enough, that it becomes a different joke. In "Bigger & Blacker", Rock masters the subtle redundancy when talking about how badly victims of paralysis are. He doesn't keep repeating how ironic it is that Superman can't walk. He takes it a new direction by pointing out our how dumb it is that our only solution to paralysis is a wheel chair, "Where would you take the prescription a furniture store?" Then makes another about face he by acting out someone saying, "I didn't say I can't sit, I said I can't walk."

In "Bigger & Blacker" Rock look at the way Rock acts out his premise, "If bullets cost $5,000 there would be no innocent bystanders." He doesn't simply say, "I'm gonna get some money & then buy some bullets, & shoot you" over and over. He explains how he'll first need to get a job. Then, he'll start saving money. Then, unless he can find a lay away program, he'll come back and serve up justice.

"Bring in the Pain", lacks the subtle switches in direction Rock uses as he acts out his premises in the latter special. It looses those subtle changes when he talks about Colin Powell becoming president, prisoners tossing salads, and women who don't cheat.

The only pattern in "Bigger & Blacker" is the clear lack of patterns. Rock simply uses every means possible to prove his point. By the time Rock starts talking about the American Indians he includes an image so vivid, the fact in his life he's seen a polar bear and a tricycle but never an American Indian family eating at Red Lobster, I began thinking of all the weird things I had seen in my life compared to the fact I had never met a Native American family either. If you want a memorable act. Write material so strong that you know the audience continues writing it for you in their heads after the show ends.

Bring In The Technicalities

When it comes to comic technicalities there is no comparison between the two videos. In his first special you almost have to search for callbacks. In the first video, the most obvious is Rock's tossed salad remark. It feels like a cheap shot that Rock repeats too many times. On the other hand, in "Bigger & Blacker", the first callback comes in at Rock's second bit. By the time Rock ends his set he has used the callback over twenty times. Some comedians don't even tell twenty jokes.

But there's another reason this is important. Look where the final callback in "Bigger & Blacker" takes Rock. It associates a weaker bit (women who never shut up) with a stronger bit (fathers get any respect even after paying all the bills). First, Rock got huge laughs. But more importantly the association made the weaker bit seem stronger by connecting it one of the strongest bits in his act.

Rock's second special is also ordered better. A simple device in comedy is putting controversial material towards the end of an act. Rock doesn't master this in the first special. In "Bring in the Pain" Rock explains he understands how OJ would want to kill Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown. Disregarding the strength or weakness of the material, it's a controversial assertion and should be pushed towards the end of an act. Prior to that Rock does a bit about how killing a white president would be understandable if the vice president were black. Afterwards, there is similar material about shaking "the shit" out of a woman gone too far. Admittedly, most of these bits are brilliant. However, keep in mid, two murders and a serious physical assault are being described less then ten minutes into Rock's act. "Bring in the Pain" would probably have been better if he shook the shit out of the girl first, then talked about OJ and then said how he'd love to kill the white president who chose a black VP.

Comparing Chris Rock Check List

Annalize The Foundation Of Your Act:

• How many basic truths in my act?
• Are these truths insightful or just interesting?
• Can I use strong bits to back up weaker bits?
• Have I put the set list in the correct order?

Keeping In The Family:

• Is material so specific to my culture that I might loose another?
• If so can I present it so it doesn't seem so?
• Am I bogged down with historical information to explain setups?
• Can I use historical information to illustrate premises, rather than simply restate them?

How Good Are You At Communicating It:

• If I have assertions, can I state them simply, and act them out vividly?
• Can I draw a parallel line to today's culture?
• Can I draw a parallel line between movies, music, and today's heroes & villains.
• Is this bit strong enough to be discussed after my show ends?

Act Outs & Parallel Structure:

• When I act things out, am I simply repeating the premise over & over?
• Does each new remark add a new problem and a new solution, related to the original premise?
• Can I act things out so that I always add new information?
• When I draw parallels, does it point out flaws in everyday thinking or accepted wisdom?

Summary Of This Article

So why is "Bigger & Blacker" better than the 1995 special, "Bring in the Pain". First, Rock built the 1999 special on a stronger foundation. That foundation was more compelling because more than half the time, it challenged common wisdom. It was easier to relate to because culturally specific material was expressed in more universal terms. Rock still used material that was culturally specific but presented it in a way that was inclusive to everyone.

These premises in "Bigger & Blacker" are more clearly stated. And they don't include the historical fluff, that explains why Rock is discussing them. Rock also became better at illustrating his contentions. This allowed him spend less time repeating premises and more time proving them through metaphors, similes, cultural references and by simply acting them out. Rock cut redundant wording in half. He double the number of analogies and tripled the number of premises he acted out. All in all, I would say between 1995 and 1999 Rock worked his ass off.