DELRAY BEACH – Fresh off the slap seen round the world, Chris Rock is taking his talents to South Florida.
Already a star, Rock’s fame climbed to another level a couple weeks back when Will Smith – supposedly offended by a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith – sauntered onto the stage and slapped Rock, the ceremony’s host.
By all accounts Rock handled this situation with aplomb and graciousness, but the event will be forever linked to his career. That’s a shame, because there aren’t many comics out there as funny as Rock.
He burst into the nation’s collective attention in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” He’s since performed numerous stand-up specials, appeared in multiple movies and executive produced the television sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris.”
Rock’s talent is unquestioned. He’s funny, no matter what Will Smith (or Will Smith’s wife) thinks.
Although he’s performed as part of his Ego Death World Tour since that Oscar slapping, Rock hasn’t really worked the incident into his act.
Maybe Rock will on Thursday or Friday when he performs at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. But don’t go for that. Attend the show to see one of America’s funniest comics. He’ll be memorable no matter what the material.
Tickets for Chris Rock’s lone tour stop in South Florida are expensive, starting at $78.25 and increasing to $208.25, but comedy fans who do get their hands on some of these tickets are in for a treat. They may laugh so hard that their hair falls out.
APPLAUSE PLANNER – Plan On It
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022
Nathan Wallace – Wine House Social, Delray Beach
Nathan Wallace treks across the Sunshine State to appear in one of South Florida’s fastest rising comedy rooms. Once a month the intimate Wine House Social in Delray Beach offers strong Tuesday night shows. Fasil Malik, Al Callus, Rob Kalert and Nadeem Awad are also scheduled to perform, with David Sadman serving as host. There is no cover for the 8 p.m. show, but there is a two-drink minimum. That shouldn’t be a problem for most of y’all.
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2022
Demetri Martin – Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale
A former staff writer for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and regular on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Demetri is an award winning comic who’s performed internationally. He’s released three stand-up comedy albums and four hour-long stand-up comedy specials, including “The Overthinker.” Martin created and starred in his own television series for Comedy Central. His books, This Is a Book and Point Your Face at This, are New York Times Bestsellers. Tickets prices for the 8 p.m. show begin at $27.50.
SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2022
Jay Leno – Kravis Center, West Palm Beach
Before Jay Leno took over from Johnny Carson as host of the “Tonight Show,” he made a living doing stand-up comedy. And he was good at it. After 20 years as the host of “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” Leno continues to deliver laugh-out-loud family-friendly stand-up. Ticket prices for this 8 p.m. show begin at $39.
