Cultureshock

Chris Rock’s ‘Bring the Pain’

Comedian and Emmy Award® winner W. Kamau Bell (“United Shades of America”) steps behind the camera to direct this film about how Chris Rock changed the face of comedy with his seminal 1996 special “Bring the Pain.” In his own words, Rock recounts how after being fired from SNL and upstaged by Martin Lawrence at his own show, he looked to challenge himself in a way he never had before. Rock pushed himself creatively, leading to the development of more personal and provocative material. He performed tirelessly in small clubs, perfecting his new technique. The result was his HBO special, widely considered a revelatory work with a bold style that changed the conversation about race in popular culture, as well as the face of comedy forever.