Chris Rock, Selective Outrage review: Will Smith jokes aside, comedian’s live Netflix special was uninspired

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Smith roared after returning to his seat, launching a thousand memes and now, a year on, Rock’s revenge tour. “My pronoun is broke.” The relative mildness of Rock’s comedy is more manageable than some of the more tendentious performers who have graced Netflix in recent years, and always the spectre of the unexpected – that night at the Oscars – looms over this special. “I accept anyone,” he tells the crowd, adding: “In some situations, I prefer trans women to original recipe.” It’s a pointless detour – as much of a creative dead-end as it was for Dave Chapelle or Ricky Gervais – but one that is apparently mandatory in a show dealing with modernity. Other than that moment though, there was little need for this to be broadcast live – not least because Netflix’s subtitling couldn’t keep pace with Rock’s delivery.