Richard Cohen's column, to be specific. RT @igorbobic: Give Chris Rock a column, please http://t.co/doU0VauXqo
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) December 4, 2014
At Grantland, Rembert Browne interviews Chris Rock and proves the futility of this daydream:
… There’s a point in the movie[Top Five] when your character, Andre Allen, keeps saying to the journalist, “Can we talk about the film, can we talk about the film?” when he’s asked about personal things. When you are going through this press process, do you ever get to a point where you’re like, “I want to talk about literally anything else but the film”?
No. I mean, I’m selling a movie. And I don’t do press unless I’ve got a movie coming out. Like literally, why would I do press? People always want you to do press. You never see me on Letterman or something unless I have a movie coming out. Your time in front of the camera is finite. It’s not definite. People interviewing you, it’s all finite. You should definitely use it to better yourself…
One thing that came through that you’ve discussed in other press you’ve done is how the film gives a glimpse of what it’s like to be black and famous.
A little bit.
Even being black and having a platform of any kind. This idea that with black fame comes certain responsibilities that other folks don’t have to deal with. Things other white actors don’t have to think about. Was that a conscious thing you wanted to come through the film?
I definitely made a point to tell Leslie to tell me to “Stay black” in one scene. No one tells Brad Pitt to “Stay white.” “Ben Affleck, stay white.” What the fuck are you talking about, “stay white”? I just tried to do a movie in a realistic tone. People always think, What were you trying to say? I’m not trying to say nothing, I’m just trying to entertain people, trying to make things that don’t bore me. Trying to make things that feel authentic. Trying to make a movie that I haven’t seen. In a tone I haven’t seen. That’s what I’m trying to do…
How do you feel, at this stage of your career, about being asked to be a role model?
Be a role model to your kids. You just are. Your kids watch you every day. They kind of do what you do. But the whole “Be a role model to people” [idea] is kind of racist when you think about it. It’s not like, “Get on the back of the bus, n----” racist. It suggests that my behavior is not natural. It’s like, “Hey I don’t beat my wife because I don’t beat my wife, not because I’m trying to help the race out.” Know what I mean? I read because I want to read. It’s like, you have a negative image of your people as a whole if you’re putting all of your eggs in my basket. Or a basket of my behavior. Really? I don’t smoke crack because I don’t want to smoke crack, not because I’m trying to help out. So you’re saying if I wasn’t famous, I’d just be in jail and cracked up if no one was watching me? No…
Saturday Morning Open Thread: Isn’t It Pretty to Think So?Post + Comments (85)