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Promotional art for Kill the Messenger
Cover image credit: Promotional image via Prime Video

Kill the Messenger

Chris Rock

HBO · 2008 · 79 min

Three international performances edited into one continuous comedy routine.

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Chris Rock turns stand-up into an exercise in mechanical precision with Kill the Messenger. The edit cuts between performances in three different cities, often in the middle of a sentence, to deliver a single continuous routine. It functions as a massive flex of pacing and rehearsal. You watch him start a joke in a black-tie suit, continue the setup in a sharp monochrome outfit, and drop the punchline in a leather jacket. The rhythm never breaks, proving exactly how locked-in his cadence is.

The 80-minute special was recorded in 2008 at the Apollo Theater in New York, the Hammersmith Apollo in London, and the Carnival City Casino in Johannesburg.

Rock dedicates a large portion of the hour to the impending Obama-McCain election, George W. Bush’s legacy, and the collapsing economy. The heavy reliance on topical news meant some of the set aged quickly, but the show also features his widely quoted bit about living in an exclusive neighborhood where the only other Black residents are Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, and Eddie Murphy, while his white neighbor is a regular dentist. Some critics found the venue-hopping format distracting, but it served as a unique stress test. The audience reactions to his wealth disparities and relationship premises sound identical in South Africa, England, and Harlem.

The set list

6 bits

  1. John McCain's advanced age

    Ridiculing McCain for being too old to plan for the future when he will not be there, claiming he was old enough to have owned Sidney Poitier.

  2. George W. Bush's presidency and the upcoming election

    Arguing Bush messed up the country so severely that it made it tough for another white man to get elected president.

  3. Inter-racial dating and a Black First Lady

    Exploring racial dynamics in relationships and joking about Barack Obama needing a white wife.

  4. High gas prices and the Iraq War

    Connecting soaring fuel costs and the war to performing sexual favors in exchange for gasoline.

  5. Taboo language and the use of offensive slurs

    Dissecting when and why certain words like homophobic slurs or the n-word are used or perceived differently.

  6. Black men's attraction to full-figured white women

    Comparing the appeal of Keira Knightley versus Rosie O'Donnell.

How it plays

Tone
Edgy, crass, provocative, and topical.
On stage
An energetic, edgy, and loud storyteller with precise, lecture-like delivery who pulls no punches.
Pace
Fast-paced with meticulous, near-robotic timing and execution so consistent that cuts across different continents match seamlessly mid-sentence.
About
2008 U.S. presidential election, race relations and racial slurs, inter-racial dating, aging politicians, Iraq War and gas prices

What the critics said

Praised for Rock's impeccable comic timing and refined stage craft, though several critics noted the heavy reliance on the 2008 election quickly dated the material, and some found the mid-sentence location jumping distracting.

In the room: Boisterous and enthusiastic across audiences in London, Johannesburg, and Harlem, with occasional nervous tension during edgy routines on race and relationships.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, rottentomatoes.com, allmovie.com, hbomax.com, mirror.co.uk, upcomingdiscs.com, zoiksonlinemagazine.blogspot.com, thecomicscomic.com.

Backstory

Taped during an international tour across three continents leading up to the 2008 U.S. presidential election, amidst the Iraq War and economic shifts.

Details

Released
Taped
Carnival City Casino, Hammersmith Apollo, Apollo Theater, Johannesburg, London, New York City
Runtime
79 min
Where
HBO
Director
Marty Callner
Honors
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy SpecialPrimetime Emmy Award (two Emmy wins total)
Topics
Before
Never Scared (2004)
After
Tamborine (2018)

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