Chris Rock fans who were hoping he’d go into detail about that Will Smith slap at the Oscars in March would have left the weekend’s show in Sydney disappointed.
In a wide-ranging show that lasted almost two hours, Rock covered topics as diverse as the Kardashians, Meghan Markle, US politics, abortion, #MeToo, his daughters Lola and Zara, and dating as a single man in his 50s.
But when it came to the Oscars, which dominated headlines after Smith took to the stage to slap Rock, the comedian only made floating references, including opening Saturday’s show by assuring the audience he was okay.
He later pointed out that he was hit by the actor who played Ali in reference to Smith’s starring role in the 2001 film in which he portrayed three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Rock joked that he himself wouldn’t even be able to play Floyd Mayweather.
He also said he can’t bring himself to watch Men In Black again.
Rock is currently touring Australia. He’s already performed shows in Melbourne and on the Gold Coast, with his second Sydney show taking place tonight before he heads to Adelaide and Brisbane. His Ego Death World Tour is his first in five years.
Rock drew a massive audience to his Saturday show, with only a few seats left empty in the 9,000-capacity theater. And the audience was not only large, but engaged, punctuating each punchline with guffaws.
Fans were also forced to adhere to a particularly strict rule – no photography or recording devices were allowed inside. Smart phones were sealed in a pouch that had to be unlocked by a special device after the show.
The show started 45 minutes late with a warm-up act by comedian Rick Ingram, who decimated those who dared to sit in the front row.
Rock was dressed in all white from head to toe. His show from him was more on the amusing side than clutch-your-stomach hilarious, but the Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian, who has earned his place from him as one of comedy’s brightest stars, was definitely worth seeing.
The Australian-leg of Rock’s tour is scheduled to wrap up in Queensland August 20.
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