Chris Rock on Tavis Smiley
I was a fan of Chris Rock and then heard a discussion on TV where Rock was described as needing to get over himself. It did turn me off. But Rock’s recent appearance on Tavis Smiley made me change my mind.
Some wit and wisdom from Chris Rock:
On being your own judge:
Chris said, in answer to a question about rave reviews and taking them to heart, that if you do that, then, when the same source criticizes you, you have to accept the criticism as valid. So he doesn’t believe in raves and therefore is not honor bound to accede to cavils. I agree with him. Only you can decide how good what you do is.
I just compiled a book of quotations — Saul Bellow said the same thing. Bellow’s context was that early criticism and rejection is good for a writer because it forces him/her to decide for themself what is good.
On other people’s negative opinions of you:
Chris said his mother had said: “If they don’t pay your bills and they can’t whup you, then why do you care what they think?
He said, and you can tell it from the richness and openness of Rock’s comic persona, that he is influenced by everyone — not just black comedians — which is an attitude he disparaged as ridiculous. Among the pantheon he mentioned: some expected, and even required, like the great Pryor, and some seldom mentioned, like Steve Allen; it shows he knows whom to turn to for models. Identity politics never works if you want to do your best. Exaggerated and sardonic truth telling is what comedy is about and that characteristic belongs to no single group. Rock said, “I embrace everyone.”
