1989 NYU film captures Chris Rock (and his mom!) as a young stand-up just before he got SNL

An old NYU student film by Michael Dennis, Who's Chris Rock?, surfaced on YouTube over the weekend and is making the rounds (WFMU, Comedy.com). Shot in the spring of 1989, with videographer Judah Friedlander no less, the short documentary jumps back and forth between footage of Chris Rock, then 23, onstage at the Comic Strip Live, then at home with his mom deconstructing some of the jokes.

After the credits, we're treated to a few more minutes, including Rock telling the story of how meeting Eddie Murphy at the club earned him his biggest break, and then hearing the Rock family matriarch talk about how an even younger Chris held court on the stoop. When he corrects her about which club he performed at first, she says it doesn't matter. That's the mom's view. As a comedian, we know it matters which club first let us onstage. Oh, and also, at the very very end, Chris Rock predicts his future. How close do you think he came? Place your bets. You just want to clear 12 minutes from your schedule and watch this!

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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