Chris Rock walked off stage angrily during a surprise comedy performance at a billionaire’s holiday party after he noticed children in the audience and felt uncomfortable performing his routine.
The 59-year-old comedian reportedly left the stage just minutes into his set at a winter event hosted by Anthony Pratt, who is executive chairman of Pratt Industries.
Some attendees claimed Rock got upset when he realized he was being filmed, despite prior agreements prohibiting recordings.
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“Chris did leave the stage that night,” an insider said to Daily Mail. “His routine was not suitable for children. Coupled with the fact that people were filming when it was agreed that it would not be recorded, this led to his decision to end the performance.”
“But he did not storm out nor did he disrespect anyone. He simply decided to end this because it was not the content he believed children should be exposed to”, the source added.
Chris Rock is a father to daughters Lola, 22, and Zahra, 20, and reportedly began his set with a joke about the U.S. political climate: “Our new push will be outer space. We’ll put all the Mexicans on the rockets.”
However, he appeared to grow frustrated when he realized that his performance at the event was being recorded. Reports indicate that Rock “saw something like he wasn’t supposed to be taped, videoed, or reported” before he abruptly ended his “very short set.”
“He didn’t complain, didn’t explain, didn’t do one more minute,” a source stated. “He was barreling quickly, forcefully, through people to the exit doors.”
Rock’s comedy is known for its explicit language and provocative themes. His latest Netflix special, Selective Outrage, features a disclaimer warning viewers that the content is not suitable for children.
In the film, Rock delivered candid advice to parents. “Stop telling our kids that they are special. They may be special to you, but not to me.”
Rock’s abrupt exit also comes amid renewed attention on his past controversial jokes, including a remark he made about Sean “Diddy” Combs at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
In the joke, which has resurfaced on TikTok, Rock talked about Combs mentoring children: “And who better than Puff Daddy to show the kids wrong from wronger?”
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Chris Rock was diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disorder in 2020, and his decision to walk off angrily had a lot to do with the children present at the event.
However, he will most likely host Saturday Night Live this weekend.
