As a former Saturday Night Live cast member, the creator and narrator of the acclaimed sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris, and a versatile performer in many movies and TV shows, Chris Rock has already been known as one of the world’s most prolific comedians for the past few decades. However, more recently, he has become one of the most talked about and heavily observed stand-up comedians for reasons we will get into soon, which makes him the perfect choice to headline a new, unprecedented event for Netflix.
The Emmy winner’s latest upcoming stand-up special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, will mark a particularly special moment for the platform for reasons that we will also explain later on. However, we shall begin our breakdown of all the most essential facts that fans of Rock should know about the event by letting you know when those with a Netflix subscription can watch it at home.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Streams On Netflix March 4
For the amount of exciting upcoming Netflix movies coming out in 2023, there are just as many (if not more) unmissable upcoming Netflix TV premieres to look forward to this year. Among them is Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, which will become available to stream on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT).
As The Hollywood Reporter explains, the stand-up comedy special and the date of its debut was first announced on Christmas Day of 2022, along with the release of a teaser poster and its first official trailer online. The 45-second spot sees Rock in his dressing room being informed that “they’re ready” for him before “The Best is Back” by rapper Bun B plays as he walks out to an audience we do not see. The reason we do not see the crowd, however, is because Rock has not seen it either.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Is Netflix’s First Global Live Streaming Event
While the release date for Chris Rock: Selective Outrage is, indeed, on March 4, one should not expect to be able to log in, pull it up, and bring on the laughter first thing that Saturday morning. Reason being: the special has not even been filmed yet, but the cameras will start rolling immediately as it is becomes available for Netflix subscribers to watch the worldwide live-streaming event.
The platform has tried its hand at intriguing, experimental programming, before — such as with interactive movies and TV shows like the choose-your-own adventure-style Black Mirror spin-off movie, Bandersnatch, daily games like Trivia Quest, or TV series released in a randomized episode order like the recent heist thriller Kaleidoscope. However, Selective Outrage will be the platform’s first try at global live-streaming events ever. Viewers can “tune in” to Rock’s unfiltered and unedited performance starting at 10 p.m. ET (or 7 p.m. PT)
Chris Rock Will Perform The Event From Baltimore, Maryland
As a fan of watching stand-up comedy specials often, I like knowing where the filming of a comedian’s special took place. I was especially curious about where Chris Rock: Selective Outrage is to be filmed, especially considering the unique circumstances of the event.
According to Collider, Rock will perform his act in his in Baltimore, Maryland, for an audience who will be able to share the experience with Netflix subscribers all around the world. What precise venue the performance will take place at has yet to be disclosed.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Is The Comedian’s Second Netflix Stand-Up Special
This won't be the first comedy special that Chris Rock has done with Netflix. In fact, there are a few things you can check out featuring the comedian while you wait for this new special to arrive. In 2018, Rock released his first exclusive stand-up comedy special on the platform, Tamborine, in which he applies his signature, biting wit to comments on the likes of politics and marriage. The special is also noted for being directed by Inside maestro Bo Burnham and featuring filmmaker Spike Lee as an audience member.
While Selective Outrage will be Rock’s second special with Netflix, it technically counts as the third because, in 2021, he released an extended cut of Tamborine called Total Blackout. He also did a feature-length, dramatized movie for the platform called The Week Of — also one of Adam Sandler’s many Netflix original movies — in 2018.
Stream Chris Rock: Tamborine on Netflix.
Stream Chris Rock: Total Blackout - The Tamborine Extended Cut on Netflix.
Stream The Week Of on Netflix.
Will Chris Rock Directly Address The Oscars Slap In The Special?
Having the honor of being the very first live-streaming event for Netflix is certainly not the only thing that may entice viewers to check out Chris Rock: Selective Outrage the night it airs, which will occur nearly a year after the 94th Annual Academy Awards. As many will recall, Rock was confronted on stage and slapped during the ceremony, which aired live on ABC, by that night’s Best Actor winner, Will Smith, after making a joke referencing the shaved haircut of the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia.
With the exception of a few comments in his stand-up over the past year — some of which have been relatively subtle and others that provided some deeper insight into the matter — Rock has yet to directly address the incident often referred to as the “Oscars Slap” in public. However, in November, the Palm Springs Desert Sun published his comments at an Indio, California, show stating, “I’m not talking about that until I get paid.” According to Atlanta Black Star, fans have speculated that he may finally speak at length about the much-discussed moment in his act for Selective Outrage. We will just have to wait and see.
We will also have to wait and see if Chris Rock: Selective Outrage becomes remembered as one of the funniest Netflix original stand-up specials yet. However, I think we can confidently say that it is one of the most highly anticipated of the like and will potentially be remembered as one of the most important as well for its unique live-stream approach.
