Chris Rock Brings the Pain

Intro: 0:00

Take a time machine back to before the world went to hell, around the year 2000

Chad Bishoff: 0:07

The 80s and 90s were so rad.

Adam Wintz: 0:10

The movies, the music, the TV, the games, that's what I want to talk about.

Intro: 0:14

Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app and continue the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. And if you're cool enough, join the show on Patreon for exclusive bonus content. And now Less Than 2000 with Adam Wintz, and Chad Bishoff.

Adam Wintz: 0:37

Less than 2000

Chad Bishoff: 0:39

Now part of the HyperX Podcast Network.

Adam Wintz: 0:42

I always start the show you start the show.

Chad Bishoff: 0:45

I started the last few... What did you mean always start? You don't always start the show I start the show sometimes, too. I got you this season and done it multiple times Adam I want to, you cut me out from starting the show. Sometimes. That's more what it is. I come in, I tell you some thing that means something to me. And then in our magic of editing. It's like it's cut on the floor and it's you opening so

Adam Wintz: 1:12

dude you you're the one who pushes the buttons on the actual editing. I just give you suggestions.

Chad Bishoff: 1:17

Oh, no, you give me demands is what you do. Now. Chris Rock, Bring the Pain. 90... This was 96 I was shocked by this. I think it's because we've been living so much in like the late 80s, early 90s That I was like and I was watching a really grainy version of of on YouTube. And I was like, Well, this has to be old. And I'm like, Oh, it's 96. But I was shocked because he had already been in CB4. He had already been on SNL he had already, I couldn't believe that this that this is what actually launched him and made him made Chris Rock a star. This launched him.

Adam Wintz: 2:00

This is so iconic. The quality of the material in Bring the Pain is so outrageously deep and rich. And and I have said it before I'll say it again. The lineage is Richard Pryor in the 70s passes the torch Eddie Murphy in the 80s passes the torch to Chris Rock in the 90s passes the torch to Dave Chappelle in the 2000s

Chad Bishoff: 2:30

Absolutely you couldn't you couldn't you couldn't have said that better partner, no what I was when you were saying that the only thing that popped into my head was how like Chris Rock like had the torch and then almost became like another person who almost made it. Like that's, that's SNL, CB4 his other his other half hour special. Like he almost went the act and I have that torch back. Like you didn't quite get there. You know, he almost became of the land of the lost... Bring the Pain comes out. Bam! Changes his entire trajectory overnight. We don't have Chris Rock today. The way we have Chris Rock without this 58 minute special that originally aired on HBO.

Adam Wintz: 3:24

Mm hmm. It I mean, he went to I mean, he hosted the Oscars. You know, he was he is he he he became a mega star, it all started with this because just the quality of the writing the timelessness of the material. So I mean, it's very much because comedy is a product of its time. So all the references like OJ are very mid 90s. But there's not nearly as many things in this set that makes you go EH like that, that makes you really cringe the way some of Eddie Murphy's stuff that that was like so, like, you cannot say that anymore. But I'm seeing from your face that you might disagree a little bit.

Chad Bishoff: 4:12

I slightly do. No, it's more of an observation. And this is just an observation. This is a no way fact. But I'd like to discuss this, please. The problems that you had with Eddie Murphy was specific was more so the fact that he was tearing down other races, other people things like that, right. Chris Rock has a piece of Bring the Pain that he has never done since this special because he chose to not perpetuate hate speech and that kind of stuff. And so what's interesting is... one could call that just as cringe worthy. But I think for you, I guess I don't want to put this in your mouth. But I think I think you become more offended when the person that that's being spoken about can't defend themselves. So like, Hey, wait, I'm not here to defend what you're saying. Whereas Chris Rock made it made it a choice to go, I'm going to stop this right here, and just put an end to it. So there is cringe worthy stuff in here. You know, so I find it interesting that it's like, you know, in your mind, not to the level of Eddie Murphy.

Adam Wintz: 5:37

Well, let me let me just take a guess here. And we're very sensitive about certain words on the show. Is the part that you're talking about that he no longer does. The black people versus the other type of black people?

Chad Bishoff: 5:52

Correct.

Adam Wintz: 5:52

He, I can see why he doesn't do that anymore. But to me, you're right. It doesn't it's not nearly as offensive because of, of the nature of the bit. It you know, it's but it's, he got his mileage out of it. You know, that is, that is the 12 minutes, that makes his whole, I mean, the whole thing is great. But without that bit, you we're not talking about it 26 years later. That is the breakthrough bit. And it reminds me the the, to go into post 2000. There's a great bit in The Office season one, I think it's episode two, diversity day, where Michael Scott got in trouble for saying that bit doing that bit. And

Chad Bishoff: 6:43

I totally forgot him. Now I have to go back and watch The Office.

Adam Wintz: 6:48

And so they had Kevin, slow dull, Kevin was redoing, doing the bit of because Michael couldn't do any goes... So there's one type of black people. And there's another type of black people. And then they cut away

Chad Bishoff: 7:05

I'm trying, I'm trying not to laugh even because even The Office is offensive in so many ways.

Adam Wintz: 7:13

But Michael Oh, no, it's so funny about The Office just went off the air less than 10 years ago, the ^%$^%# that they did then you couldn't even do now

Chad Bishoff: 7:20

no you wouldn't do it. Now. You wouldn't and you can't

Adam Wintz: 7:22

but the best part is when Michael Scott gets up and interrupts him, he's having diversity training, corporate had to send a diversity person out to train Michael Scott, on how to not be offensive in the office for using bad words and doing racial humor like this. And Michael cuts Kevin, I was like, You're doing it wrong. You're butchering the deliver?

Chad Bishoff: 7:43

Yeah, he gets up to try to do it the right way. And I do remember this. And the the diversity training Oh, no, you can't do that

Adam Wintz: 7:53

come back on him. And it's like, uh, i i I'll just do my bid on it. It's like, "I take care of my kids. You're supposed to take care of your kids. I never been to jail. Well, you want a cookie? You just want some credit for some, some @#!$%^& you're supposed to do.

Chad Bishoff: 8:11

Oh my god, I'm so mad that I can't believe you started with that. Like that's, that's like halfway through? That is I mean, that is spit out loud. Funny. And and that was in the part when he's like that, that people taking credit for things that they're just supposed to do? Like, I take care of my kids. What you're supposed to. What a funny line.

Adam Wintz: 8:40

"you low expectation heaven, mother %$#@". It's great. This is the bit this not just this hour of stand up. But that 12 minutes is why Chris Rock is the thing.

Chad Bishoff: 8:53

Yeah I mean, it definitely wasn't the first 10 I mean, there were people that were even like on the fence, the first 10 You can feel it in the crowd. There's like a 50/50 booo to clap ratio, in like the first 10 minutes like it was it was sketchy. And what's crazy is he had spent two years developing that special in the clubs. So for two years, he traveled perfecting that one hour and even still took a risk and got booed by a few people in the first 10 If it's not going to work, you knew it wasn't going to work a year ago, two years ago, two weeks ago, you would know something might generate a contrast in the audience. So good on him for going for it because that again becomes what especially comedy, but again any good art pushing it. If you're not kind of putting some things on the fence. You're not breaking through. But I think with the with with Chris Rock what was particularly interesting is he took jabs at different types of people little bit, but for the most part, he focused on it on his on his own. You know, like Eddie Murphy was like, we're just gonna, like, we're gonna make fun of everybody. And Chris Rock kind of did the opposite. He kind of came in and honed his thing in, in a way to almost in a weird way get people to kind of think about their own life, by the contrast of what's being said. And that's the thing that makes Chris Rock so interesting to me. I mean that and of course, his ability to just bring a sentence to a sharp stop. Like he has the ability to just drop a word, and to stop in a way that makes you laugh in general. But, but those two things, I think that's what made this interesting is it was like he was tackling from within, rather than pointing fingers.

Adam Wintz: 11:00

very, and that's why that's why it doesn't offend me as much. You you put it into words that it's it is from within, it's making fun of himself. It's making fun of men for being dogs. Yeah, rather than women being gold diggers, you don't I mean? Like it's it's, it's, it's, it's, it's all on his own every he didn't spare anybody, including himself.

Chad Bishoff: 11:26

I think more importantly, it was the timing of where this was in 96. You know, we'd seen what was going on between gangs we'd seen you know, all of the gangster rap, all of the stuff coming out of the projects, all of the stuff that was going on Rodney King, all the that he got, and then you got OJ who literally flees, you know what I mean? And all that kind of stuff. There's all this stuff going on in the universe, right? And he kind of just I think, I don't want to put words in his mouth because I don't, I don't know Chris, personally. But if you take I think he took a step back and went, alright, again, that's self reflective in / outward thing. Think about all of the stuff that everybody was rapping about all of the things that people were talking about the way things were portrayed in Boys in the Hood, I mean, all of the stuff and you just kind of look at what is happening in pop culture, amongst his own people, and, and really just in society in general. And it's like, I'm gonna come out and kind of say it how it is and flip it. You know, and just have fun with it. And kind of like, make you laugh while making you kind of be like, Well, wait a minute. I'm not ignorant.

Adam Wintz: 12:39

you're on fire tonight, Chad.

AD: 12:44

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Adam Wintz: 14:22

it's also the time of life that it came out for us like it was just one of those things in our mid to late teens where it's just like made such an impression and and it was just like you know because Chris Rock was always just kind of a bit character on SNL he was way out shined by some of the other guys and really before seeing Chris Rock I only kind of seen this kind of comedy in small doses on on Def Comedy Jam on HBO as well. And just little pieces like this and then to see him do a full hour and just kill it. Absolutely own that audience you could tell it was perfected over years of doing it and doing

Chad Bishoff: 15:06

Totally, I it was I'm so glad I went back and it rewatched it. Because I, it gave me a chance I forgot how many things came from this one, literally 58 minute piece. Like, you know, time goes on and you're like, oh, he said this at one point he did this one, but it was all in that hour. It was all right there. And there were so many funny moments that were incredible. I mean, the part when he comes out is like your chunky alcoholic, but I don't eat he's a chunky alcoholic, but I don't eat pork. Because very red meat will kill ya. But because the hypocrisy on that,

Adam Wintz: 15:49

but is I believe this is also the one was like, I refuse to believe that on my day of judgment, my diet is gonna come into question.

Chad Bishoff: 15:56

Oh, that's absolutely in this one. Yeah. It's literally at the end of this section

Adam Wintz: 16:01

Hey, God, I killed a bunch of people. But I ate right... And by the way, when we're doing the voice, we're not making fun of anybody. This is what Chris Rock sounds like.

Chad Bishoff: 16:11

When you do the voice when you do. I'm just doing me

Adam Wintz: 16:14

You just did it too.

Chad Bishoff: 16:15

I'm just doing me man.

Adam Wintz: 16:19

other than the the black people bit. The best part of this is the salad toss, man. Like, we're not gonna be able to get into the details of it. But just like,

Chad Bishoff: 16:30

Can I just say my note? My note was this because anybody who's seen this bit, and I'm just going to say the words. I started with OMG, which everybody knows, today stands for Oh my god. And my note is simply toss Yo, this is where toss yo salad came from. And I don't mean the bit. I also mean, this is legitimately where it came. I forgot. Chris Rock was the one that said with jelly or syrup. I, prefer syrup. I forgot that this is actually where it came from. This is the episode that makes me very happy that my mother is not a Patreon member yet. Now I did arguably tell my mom and dad to watch Boogie Nights. That's no secret. However, this I think takes the cake for an episode. I think this this is where I go. I'm glad my mom is not on Patreon.

Adam Wintz: 17:34

I love the reference to Bone Thugs and Harmony. He's like brothers singing welfare carol's it's the first of the month. We wish you a very welfare we wish you a very welfare and a happy food stamp.

Chad Bishoff: 17:52

Yeah, again, self referential, a look within about what's happening in society, pop culture, music and entertainment. He's made his career on that even CB4 had a level of that, you know, he chooses content or content chooses him, depending on how you look at it. I think that's based in that because a lot of his comedy and a lot of the movies are the things that he's done, are very much a statement on pop culture on what's happening.

Adam Wintz: 18:24

And I really like I really appreciate that about the stand up is that he it is it's uplifting, to a large extent. I mean, it's very, it's very positive instead of glorifying negative aspects of society and holding it up on a pedestal and being like, Yeah, this is awesome. This is should be champion in the way people he champions. The working man, specifically in his bit, let the working black man and woman know the mother who works three jobs, you know, the hard working, you know, janitors and just salt of the earth type people. He puts on a pedestal and says, These are the people that deserve praise, and screw all those other, I think it's I think it's a great message.

Chad Bishoff: 19:13

Well, especially when you look at how many horrible messages that have come down through from other other artists over time. I mean, there's so much negativity in the world. So it's it's amazing to find a piece of material that does what you just said where it's like, it's still having fun. There's still the jokes, but it's not. It's not about suppression. In fact, in a reverse way. It's about lifting up a little bit.

Adam Wintz: 19:44

It is it is

Chad Bishoff: 19:46

if you can laugh at yourself. That then is going to be more likely to make you think rather than to perpetuate an angry thought. And then you need to go take action It's easier to laugh and make you kind of go like, Oh, yeah, wait a minute. I have done that. Maybe I shouldn't. It's easier to do that through comedy. But that's not suppression comedy. That's not abuse comedy. That's just funny. And again, I hate to repeat the word but self referential comedy.

Adam Wintz: 20:22

he pokes fun at himself and his culture, its culture and large at popular or current events. Names he goes back to Ike Turner and Billy Dee Williams. He talks about OJ whichever. I mean, if you didn't grow up in 95/96, all any comedian ever talked about was OJ, OJ, OJ every late night monologue, every SNL sketch at all it just everything was OJ. And and he had one of the best bits on OJ him and maybe Dana Carvey had one around this time. That it's it's, it's amazing to me also that he can do an hour of comedy and he has no characters. Like I said, Dana Carvey and Eddie Murphy are hilarious Impressionists I mean, their voices and their range of different voices in their head and they do on stage is amazing. Chris Rock only really has one gear.

Chad Bishoff: 21:23

Yeah, it's one not one note its one gear. That's a good way to say it. But he expertly delivers in that gear. And I mean, the energy is high. Everything is to a perfect again, I like the way stops like that the way he the way he enunciate certain words. And he can he can then call back one word and it's immediately funny. And it's just it's he does that so much better than the rest. Well, everybody needs full. Not everybody, but a lot of other comedians need the full circle swing, he'll swing so that way, all you have to do is give him a one word ball and I'll knock it out of the park unlike, needing to do the whole swing.

Adam Wintz: 22:06

He came back to salad toss a few times. That's for sure. And that's that's a great runner. I absolutely love the platonic friends bit. "You know him. You know, the man that your girl is going to be with if you screw up if you cheat on her, you know him. You he's been in your house. He's eating your food. It's like you're right in the eye." It's really Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't believe...

Chad Bishoff: 22:33

and now this makes me very, very glad that my wife doesn't listen to the show.