Chris Rock has experienced controversy after directing his new Netflix show towards Meghan Markle.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, a no-holds-barred comedy performance, premiered live on Netflix in the United Kingdom in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The comedian, 58, spoke out about the iconic Oscars smack he received from Will Smith, his thoughts on ‘being a victim,’ and Meghan Markle during the hour-long comedy show.
When discussing their controversial Oprah interview in which the pair claimed a senior member of the Royal Family made a comment about the skin colour of the couple’s then-unborn child Archie, Rock took aim at the Duchess of Sussex, 41, and her husband Prince Harry.
Comedians have offered their thoughts on the night, with many defending Rock’s set.
Judi Love, a panellist on Loose Women, expressed her thoughts on the jokes after hearing them delivered live.
‘I saw it live! But lord it hits differently when you see it recorded knowing the world and specifically certain people can see it too!’ she wrote on Twitter.
Stand-up comedian and author Jim Gaffigan posted: ‘Like most comedians I’m continuously grateful for the existence of Chris Rock. Thank you comedy gods.’
London Hughes, a comedian, defended the comic, claiming she doesn’t understand ‘fans becoming strange’ because of her support.
‘Don’t understand followers being weird with me for supporting Chris Rock, like you do know I’m a comedian right?’ she said.
‘Imagine it happened to one of your work colleagues?? Imagine Darren from Accounting randomly getting slapped by Will Smith, you wouldn’t watch Hitch again mate!’
Despite the encouragement, many have turned to social media to attack the comedian for his statements regarding Markle, dubbing them ‘problematic’.
Activist and Undistracted host Brittany Packnett Cunningham posted: ‘His whole career has been about punching down on Black folk and making white people laugh with it. Black women especially. Times have changed & he hasn’t. The data is clear.’
She also stated that she has not seen and would not be watching his upcoming programme.
Others said that Rock ‘doesn’t represent or speak for Black people’.
Pete Dominick, a stand-up comedian, shared a tweet from journalist Megyn Kelly applauding the event, stating, ‘Megyn Kelly LOVED Chris Rock slamming Meghan Markle, which is making me rethink it.’
Richard Madeley has chimed in on the controversy surrounding the comic, claiming that Chris Rock was ‘unbelievably harsh’ when he interviewed him.
Richard and Susanna Reid discussed the slapping incident on Monday’s Good Morning Britain after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
‘I’m not defending what happened to him, it’s wrong, completely wrong. But in 50 years in this game, he is rudest man I’ve ever had to interview, Chris Rock,’ the 66-year-old stated,’ Madeley said.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage is available to stream on Netflix.
Source My Celebrity Life.