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Chris Rock Signs Record-Breaking Netflix Deal, And Announces First World Tour In Nine Years

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 19:04 PST, Dec 19, 2016

Chris Rock has struck a record-breaking deal with Netflix, according to Rolling Stone magazine. The 51-year-old comedian (who most people agree doesn’t look his age at all) has inked a deal with the streaming network for two new stand-up specials.

It will be Chris Rock’s first stand-up specials since his hit stand-up special Kill the Messenger was released in 2008. The stand-up comedian has already been paid $40 million for the two specials, which is a record-breaking figure.

No other comedian, not even Louis C.K. or Amy Schumer, who was named this year’s highest-paid female comedian, have ever made such lucrative deals. Chris Rock is expected to start taping his first special early next year, after launching the world tour he’s currently working on.

Netflix hasn’t yet disclosed Chris Rock’s first stand-up special’s release date, and it’s yet unclear when the Top Five actor will start taping his second special.

Chris Rock fans have plenty to feel excited about, as the comedy royalty has also just announced his new world tour: the first in nine years. The Huffington Post reported that Rock made the announcement in his unmistakable style.

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisRock/videos/10153892622412038/

“I can’t wait to see you b*tches!”

Even though Rock hasn’t created a single stand-up special over the past eight years or been on a world tour in nine years, it’s not like he hasn’t been making people laugh.

On the contrary, Chris Rock has had lots of comedy material to work on over the past years. Earlier this year, the comedian hosted the Academy Awards ceremony. And although Rock made a few controversial jokes during the ceremony (it’s Chris Rock, after all), the ceremony was still praised by comedy enthusiasts.

Last year, Chris Rock directed Schumer’s HBO special Live at The Apollo, which earned him an Emmy nomination. In 2014, the comedian hosted both the BET Awards 2014 and Saturday Night Live.

In fact, Chris Rock has had lots of stand-up experience while hosting ceremonies, not to mention the fact that the comedian played a stand-up-comedian-turned-movie star in 2014’s Top Five film.

That same year, Chris Rock opened up about the challenges of making stand-up routines. In his interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the comedian said he was trying to make his stand-up routines more personal.

“People deal with emotions in music all the time, but comedians are always talking about what they see. But we seldom talk about what we feel. That’s the next thing for me.”

So it looks like taking a more personal turn will be the new thing of Chris Rock’s stand-up specials on Netflix. Earlier this year, Netflix grabbed an Emmy for Patton Oswalt’s Talking for Clapping stand-up special.

In fact, Netflix has big plans for stand-up specials. The streaming network’s vice president of original programming and comedy, Lisa Nishimura, said the two stand-up specials from Chris Rock, whom she calls “comedy royalty,” would make Netflix the “preeminent destination” for stand-up.

Apart from being “comedy royalty,” Chris Rock has been a big inspiration for other famous comedians. Just recently, comedian Kevin Hart revealed that Rock is his mentor, according to CNN.

In his interview with CNN during a New York premiere of his new comedy tour film What Now?, Hart admitted that he still continues to look to Chris Rock for advice.

“Rock’s advice is always great. It’s always spot on.”

The Central Intelligence actor also added that Chris Rock taught him to make his comedy “universal.” The comedian explained that his fans would never see him staying in one spot or doing one thing in particular. Instead, Hart focuses on touring around the world to tell jokes, “all the time, every day, all day.”

But Chris Rock is not the only inspiration in Hart’s life, as his late mother, Nancy Hart, also had a huge influence. Hart said that his mother, who died in 2007 battling cancer, is his “angel” and also his “biggest mentor.”

“[She] basically taught me everything I know, especially when it comes to persistence, believing in yourself, and thinking that you can do whatever it is you put your mind to.”

[Featured Image by Monica Schipper/Getty Images]

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