This weekend will mark a significant milestone in Netflix’s history, with the streaming giant set to beam Chris Rock’s new standup comedy special titled Selective Outrage to tens of millions of subscribers around the world at the same time, as it’s happening — a first-ever live global event for Netflix, and one that no doubt prefaces much more of this to come. Along those lines, in fact, we already know that Netflix will broadcast the SAG Awards next year inside the app, and with the juicy possibility of maybe even sports down the line — well, like we said, definitely the first of many.
As for the veteran funnyman himself, Rock will almost assuredly pepper his set on Saturday with Will Smith quips and jokes about The Slap from last year’s Oscars (his performance, by the way, coming just one week before this year’s Oscars ceremony). Already, there’s anticipation that Rock has saved up some juicy riffs related to the slap — based in part on material that he’s road-tested in the lead-up to this event — and that they’re going to be catnip, to say the least, for the hot-take factory of the entertainment press.
What to know about Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
Selective Outrage is Rock’s second Netflix comedy special, following 2018’s Tambourine. The event gets going on Saturday, March 4, at 10 pm ET, with Netflix broadcasting the performance live once Rock takes the stage Saturday night at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre.
Two weeks ago, the streamer did a run-through to make sure everything tech-wise was good to go, but that’s on Netflix’s end. As for you, the viewer — here’s a bit more to know about how you’ll experience this first Netflix event of its kind.
A “Watch Live” red play button will appear in your Netflix app starting at 9:20 p.m. ET. If you click the button at that time, Netflix says you’ll be in a kind of “waiting room.” Half an hour before Rock’s set starts, you’ll be able to check out a pre-show (also airing live) from The World Famous Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, an event hosted by comedian and actor Ronny Chieng with appearances from Arsenio Hall, Leslie Jones, and Deon Cole, among others.
Giving how big of a deal this first-ever live event is for Netflix, the pre-show will also include live commentary and special messages from Amy Schumer, Cedric the Entertainer, George Lopez, Ice-T, Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Matthew McConaughey, Sir Paul McCartney, Sarah Silverman, Tracy Morgan, Wanda Sykes, and Woody Harrelson, among others.
During and after the Netflix event itself
Outside of the pre-show and Rock’s Selective Outrage set itself, there will also still be more to come. Per Netflix:
“Right after the show, David Spade and Dana Carvey will tap in as co-hosts for The Show After the Show. The duo are bringing along some special friends to join them live from The Comedy Store, including JB Smoove and six-time NBA champion and MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to wrap up the epic night.”
In other words, Rock’s performance will be bookended by live pre- and post-show events, also streamable on Netflix. However, note: The Selective Outrage show itself will remain viewable afterward on Netflix, just like any other piece of content. The pre- and post-show events, however, will only be viewable live.
