Netflixhas been reportedly experimenting with the possibility of producing live content, which could see live events being watched by billions worldwide down the line. Now it looks like comedianChris Rockwill be the first to give the format a go with a global live-streaming event planned for 2023.
Rock is currently on his Ego Death tour, which has seen him playing to theater audiences over the last few months, addressing many topics, including a small mention of the nowlegendary slap incident at this year’s Oscars. While that subject has not been discussed in great detail, Rock has previously quipped during his show that he was “not going to talk about it right now, I’ll get to it eventually, on Netflix.” It looks like that may not have been as much of a quip as it first seemed. In a statement, Robbie Praw, Netflix VP of Stand-up and Comedy Formats, said:
“Chris Rock is one of the most iconic and important comedic voices of our generation. We’re thrilled the entire world will be able to experience a live Chris Rock comedy event and be a part of Netflix history. This will be an unforgettable moment and we’re so honored that Chris is carrying this torch.”
The live event will be Rock’s second special on Netflix following his 2018Tamborine, and he also appeared as part of theNetflix is a Jokefestival earlier this year with Dave Chappelle.
Related:Mike Tyson Says Chris Rock Should’ve Sued the Academy Over Oscars Slap
Will Chris Rock Openly Talk About Will Smith’s Slap?
A worldwide live audience would be a prime place for Rock to fully address the Oscars slap that caused so much media coverage earlier this year. WhileRock has not spent too much time talking about the slap, he previously said he did not feel like a victim. He said:
“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face… I’m not a victim. Yeah, that shit hurt, motherf**er. But I shook that shit off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”
The incident itself was over in seconds, but the fallout lasted for months, with Smith not publicly apologizing to Rock directly for some time after the event. At the time, Will Smith’s popularity took a hit, with many planned movie projects being temporarily put on hold until the dust settled, and while Smith has been banned from any Academy events, including the annual Oscars ceremony, his career doesn’t seem to have suffered any lasting damage from his moment of madness on stage.
Rock himself wasasked to return and host the Oscars next yearbut revealed that he had turned down the offer and had also passed on a Super Bowl commercial that was offered to him post-slap. To his credit, Rock has not gone out of his way to gain attention from the incident, but a live Netflix event could be one of the most likely places for him to air his thoughts on the subject.
No exact date for the special has yet been announced, but expect more information to come soon from Netflix.
