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CHRIS ROCK: SELECTIVE OUTRAGE, NETFLIX

IT HAS been an eventful 12 months for Chris Rock. He became part of one of the most controversial Oscar moments ever when actor Will Smith slapped him after the comic made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss. And then, Rock secured a world first when Netflix commissioned him to do a comedy show that is the platform’s first-ever live-streamed programme — and one of the most-talked about shows of the year. It was a bold choice considering Rock’s provocative track record, and he didn’t disappoint, delivering a fearless and extremely sweary set at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday, which laid into Meghan Markle, selective cancel culture, and both Will and Jada — and also tackled abortion, dating, race, and much more besides. It’s Rock at his sharpest, and feels refreshingly free of the unattractive bitterness that has, occasionally, felt like a feature of the stand-up’s later-life stand-up. His comedy certainly isn’t for everyone, but it’s among the best of its kind.