Any time comedian Chris Rock steps on stage, it's no surprise when he begins spewing politically incorrect statements, racial slurs and obscenities. In fact, it's expected.
"My comedy has no limits," Rock says. "It's all funny if you give it enough time. I've never thought of a joke and thought, 'that's funny, too bad I can't say it.'"
In his new movie, Head of State, Rock delivers yet another no-holds-barred performance, playing a Washington, D.C., neighborhood alderman who's on the verge of losing his job. After the untimely death of the Democratic Party's front-running presidential candidate, Rock's character, Mays Gilliam, is thrust into the spotlight as his party's nominee.
Alongside co-star Bernie Mac [The Bernie Mac Show] Rock delivers another no-nonsense performance and makes his directorial debut. After helping to raise six younger brothers, Rock, 37, says he was "destined to be a director." Growing up under a strict father who didn't permit any disobedience or disrespect, let alone a wild sense of humor, Rock was also destined to be a comic.
It wasn't long after Rock's 18th birthday that Eddie Murphy discovered his talent while Rock was performing at New York's Comedy Strip. Murphy quickly cast him in his 1987 movie Beverly Hills Cop II, and Rock hasn't shut his big mouth since.
While honing his comedic skills on the comedy club circuit, Rock was asked to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. After three years on the show, Rock made a name for himself as a racy, outspoken black man who wasn't afraid to speak his mind.
With characters like Nat X of "The Nat X Show" and Onski from "I'm Chillin'," SNL also helped Rock gain a reputation for tackling taboo social issues with a socially unacceptable attitude. He discovered his talent for political commentary when he served as the sole 1996 presidential campaign correspondent for Politically Incorrect, then on Comedy Central. The show turned out to be the perfect forum for Rock's humorous and sardonic political observations.
"['Head of State'] is different from other election candidate movies because it's funny," Rock says. "It uses Washington as a backdrop, not up front, and we go for the jokes."
At first, Gilliam is merely the party's puppet, told what to say, what to believe and what to wear. When Gilliam's older brother Mitch, played by Mac, becomes his unlikely running mate, Gilliam gets a mind of his own, which is when Rock's true personality comes out. It's not long before Gilliam has the women of the White House bouncing to the beat of Nelly's "Hot In Herre."
Though Rock says he enjoyed playing a politician, he would never actually get involved in politics, and hopes that no one will take the movie too seriously.
"This is a comedy, so I do a lot of silly shit," Rock says. "I hope no one goes 'Hey, Chris Rock acted like a fool in that movie. We can't elect Colin Powell!' It's a really shitty country if a movie can affect a political race.
"I'll do 'Hollywood Squares' before I get into politics."
Rock co-wrote the screenplay with Emmy-award winning writer Ali LeRoi, who also worked with Rock on Down to Earth and HBO's The Chris Rock Show. To write Head of State, the pair went in search of an inspirational ambiance, which they found in the political climate of Washington, D.C.
"We just come up with an idea, we sit down and develop a treatment, I pace around while Ali writes my ramblings and puts sense to it," Rock says. "We have a really good relationship."
Though the film doesn't have a lot of action or special effects, shooting the film was often as much a logistical challenge as a real presidential campaign. It required more than 900 set-ups, 215 scenes and 100 different sets. Only a week of shooting was done in Washington, D.C. The rest took place in Baltimore - a place that Rock says can easily double for almost any place in the nation.
Adding Mac to the cast was something that Rock says he knew he wanted to do from the beginning. The two have been friends for years, and Rock has made guest appearances on Mac's show on Fox.
"It was an idea I had two or three years ago - Bernie Mac as a big brother," Rock says. "It worked perfect because he's a bit older than me, he's bigger than me and we work really well together.
"I think this is my best movie because I worked with friends," he says. "I don't believe you can do comedy with strangers. It's definitely funnier than, say, a movie I'd do with my enemies."
Reach the reporter at jaime.schneider@asu.edu.
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If you go... |
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'Head of State' Starring Chris Rock and Bernie Mac. Directed by Chris Rock. Opens Friday. |
