The Chris Rock Show

Series overview

Episodes

Season 1 (1997)

• In a pre-taped segment, Chris petitions people in Howard Beach about renaming a street "Tupac Shakur Boulevard".
• Chris and Johnnie talk about the aftermath of the O. J. Simpson trial.
• An ad is shown for "Million Man Action Figures".
• Chris talks to legal correspondent Coleman Brooks (Mario Joyner) about the possible ramifications of a case he's currently working on.
• The Artist Formerly Known as Prince performs "Face Down". (cut from the DVD release)
• At the end of the show, Chris encounters Conan O'Brien in his dressing room, and Conan forcibly gives Chris "his wings".
• Jenifer and Chris have a flirty discussion about what women want.
• An ad is shown for the law firm of Pervis, Pervis & Platt, who also specialize in nail and hair work.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris reunites with three of his ex-girlfriends and presents them with flowers, candy, and pigs' feet ... then reveals them in the audience.
• D'Angelo performs "Lady" with Raphael Saadiq, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and ?uestlove.
• A clip is shown of Louis Farrakhan (re-dubbed voice of Ali LeRoi) reaching out to the Jewish community.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris tracks a $5 bill through Harlem.
• John Amos is greeted with a standing ovation (and a crying Wanda Sykes), and he and Chris talk about John's work on Good Times and the rest of his oeuvre to date.
• Black History Month Minute: special guest Eartha Kitt presents an anecdote about Karen Black.
• Chris talks via satellite to Donny Savoy (Ali LeRoi) and Richie Banks (Lance Crouther) about this year's Oscar-nominated black actors.
• Black History Month Minute: special guest Stanley Crouch presents an anecdote about Ford cars being painted black.
• Cake performs "The Distance" and "I Will Survive", while John Amos runs away from four hungry women.
• Chris speaks via satellite to CRTV correspondents Marvin Blazer and Ali LeRoi about Chris's earlier decision to eat a cheeseburger in Times Square.
• Chris presents a clip from his favorite new HBO reality show, True Stories of the Justice Squad.
• Chris and Tyson talk about the reactions that Tyson gets on the street, then Chris announces the winner of the lottery for a date with Tyson.
• A commercial is shown for "Video Mama", a babysitter substitute video series.
• Chris has a confusing interview with Rev. Benjamin Thomas (Mario Joyner).
• Maxwell performs "Somethin' Somethin'".
• An ad is shown for "Maximum Strength Siggorette", which supposedly helps one quit smoking (though not really).
• Chris and Tracy talk about their roles on Saturday Night Live, then Chris gives Tracy his own SNL character: "The Loud But Wrong Guy".
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris goes on a spiritual journey.
• Erykah Badu performs "On and On".
• At the end of the show, Chris shows a "pre-enactment" clip from next week's episode with guest Oprah Winfrey – with one of the writers as a stand-in for Oprah.

Season 2 (1997)

Note: The DVD release is edited to remove Maestro's "Table Dance" from the "hard liquor" segment.

Season 3 (1998)

Season 4 (1999)

Season 5 (2000)

• Cold open: CRTV News Correspondent Curl Jackson (Ali LeRoi) reports from Harlem, where the annual Running of the Cops begins.
• Chris uses video clips to compare activities between the Republican and Democratic conventions, then shows his audition tape for Monday Night Football.
• In a documentary segment, "Twelve Hours to Freedom", Chris starts an awareness campaign to free Bobby Brown from prison.
• Chris and Bernie talk about his (Bernie's) lack of a TV show (though he would eventually gain one in 2001), along with such topics as racial profiling and police brutality.
• Jill Scott performs "Getting in the Way".
• Chris shows a teaser for the Source Awards with a lot of gunshots, followed by a trailer for a BET knockoff of Survivor.
• Chris stars in his own reality show, "Halle Berry 911".
• Chris and his Nurse Betty co-star Morgan Freeman talk about on-screen personalities.
• Chris discusses Al Gore's popularity among African-Americans with political analyst A Black Guy (Ali LeRoi).
• Lucy Pearl performs "Don't Mess with My Man".
• Cold open: An ad is shown for The Chiefs of Comedy, the Native American answer to The Original Kings of Comedy.
• Chris displays a recalled talking doll of Richard Williams.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris interviews people on the street about reparations.
• Chris and Mablean discuss issues relating to divorce.
• In another ad, the Asian-Americans are next to jump on the bandwagon with The Emperors of Comedy.
• Common performs "The Light".
• Cold open: An ad is shown: "Makin' Money – True."
• Chris shows a clip from Khalid Muhammad's Million Youth March, then shows an ad for a new after school special, "Daddy Still Has a Flattop".
• Chris and Jamie chit-chat about stardom.
• Chris talks to Dr. Roberta Slacky (Wanda Sykes) about single women who decide not to marry.
• Boyz II Men perform "Pass You By".
• Chris shows a new Democratic party ad with not-so-subtle subliminal messages about George W. Bush, then uses a felt chart in a lecture on black progress.
• Chris and Stanley discuss the aforementioned issue of black progress.
• De La Soul and Redman perform "Oooh.".
• Cold open: An ad is shown for Real Essence organic shampoo, which causes orgasms ... and pregnancy.
• Chris lists some sports that were rejected by the IOC, then talks to Dr. Tom Silver (Tom Agna) about drug use amongst Olympic athletes.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris interviews people on the street about Barbra Streisand's retirement.
• Chris talks to Kevin Johnson about sportscasting, basketball, and the 2000 United States presidential election.
• Lil' Kim performs "Custom Made".
• Cold open: A presidential campaign ad for Mike Tyson is shown.
• Chris shows previews of upcoming gay-themed programming, followed by a second presidential campaign ad for Mike Tyson.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris interviews people at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.
• Chris and Pamela cover such topics as career moves and superficiality.
• A third presidential campaign ad for Mike Tyson is shown.
• Mystikal performs "Shake Ya Ass".
• Chris displays some racist toys such as "Mr. Sweet Potato Head", "Pin the Evidence on the Brother", and the "Harass Me Pedro" doll.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris asks people whether they'll be attending the Million Family March.
• Chris and Bill talk about Al Gore's presidential campaign, and Bill Clinton's legacy.
• A commercial is shown for the "Dashboard Jesus Computerized Navigation System."
• Saul Williams performs a poem.
• Marvin Shopwell (Tom Agna) reports live from the Middle East, where tensions are supposedly caused by the heat.
• Chris hosts a training video, "How Not to Get Your Ass Kicked by the Police."
• Martin talks to Chris about his recent recovery from a coma.
• Chris moderates a debate between Reverend Rhonda Taylor (Wanda Sykes) and felon Larry X (Ali LeRoi) about violence in urban music.
• Sade performs "By Your Side".
• Ali LeRoi reports on the whereabouts of the ODB.
• In a pre-taped segment, Chris asks people in the South Bronx whether they're benefiting from the recent economic boom.
• Jesse Jackson Jr. talks to Chris about why people don't vote, and the possible outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election.
• Outkast performs "Bombs Over Baghdad".
• Cold open: A trailer is shown for a new drama film, "Migger, the Magic Nigger", from Ignent Pictures.
• An irritated Wanda Sykes reports from election headquarters in Florida; she blames the voter fraud on the white man.
• A commercial is shown for "Baby1 Credit", who will give you credit in exchange for your baby.
• Cornel West talks to Chris about the history of the electoral college and the role it plays in the 2000 United States presidential election.
• A commercial is shown for "Churchnik 2000", a music festival with a lot of Kirk Franklin.
• Adam Sandler performs "She Comes Home to Me".
• Chris shows a clip from a UPN news report about the 2000 Presidential Election, in which the anchors move like they're in an R&B video as they talk.
• An ad is shown for the Grown Man Man, who will rid your house of "pesky grown men who just won't leave home!"
• Chris and Al Sharpton talk about the Florida election recount.
• Savina Delvina (Wanda Sykes) stars in an infomercial for her hits, all of which have "My Man" in the title.
• Jay-Z performs "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)".
• Chris speaks via satellite to president-elect Pootie Tang, then presents a third installment of "Taxi Driver Confessions".
• Chris and his New Jack City co-star Ice-T talk about censorship, violence and Ice's career on Law & Order.
• More "Taxi Driver Confessions" are shown.
• Nikka Costa performs "Like a Feather" (and later reveals a sequined top that reads "Chris Rock for President").

Home media

There have been four DVD releases of The Chris Rock Show in Region 1. The two "Best of" DVDs that were released were later repackaged into a single compilation in 2005. Seasons 1 and 2 were released as a DVD set in 2006. Most of the episodes were released uncut, however for contractual reasons the segment featuring (The Artist Formerly Known as) Prince has been removed from the first episode of Season 1. The Seasons 1 and 2 DVD features a Chris Rock commentary on episodes 1 and 12.

References

References

1. "The Chris Rock Show {{!}} TV Guide".