CHRIS ROCK SHOW, THE {JOHNNIE COCHRAN} {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first this series of nighttime talk shows hosted by Chris Rock. This episode features guest appearances by famed defense attorney Johnnie Cochran and comedian Conan O'Brien. The program opens with a backstage tour of the studio at which the show is recorded. In his opening monologue, Rock comments on the following topics: reports of a "crack priest" in New York; O.J. Simpson's latest financial woes; a lawsuit involving basketball star Dennis Rodman and an injured cameraman; the recent founding of the WNBA; and Mike Tyson's rejection of a lucrative endorsement deal. Rock then travels to Howard Beach in Queens and attempts to convince residents to sign a petition to change a prominent street's name to "Tupac Shakur Boulevard," with some surprising results.
Cochran then joins Rock onstage and discusses the following: his successful defense of such celebrities as Todd Bridges and Michael Jackson; his belief that impoverished people are less likely to receive a fair trial; his interest in pursuing police brutality cases; the media's unfair portrayal of him during the Simpson trial; and his future plans to host his own television show and defend a former Black Panther leader in the courtroom. Next, an ad is shown for "Million Man Action Figures," toys depicting the participants of the 1995 Million Man March on Washington D.C. Finally, Rock chats with "legal correspondent" Coleman Brooks about a recent robbery in Brooklyn, though closer inspection of the security camera footage reveals that the thief was – allegedly – Brooks himself. The show closes as Rock meets with O'Brien backstage, and O'Brien forcibly gives Rock "his wings" as he congratulates him on his successful first show.
(In the original broadcast, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince performed "Face Down"; the footage was cut from the DVD release.)
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1999 11:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:21:20
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 122115
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; African-American Collection - News/Talk; Talk/Interview
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1997-2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Chris Rock … Executive Producer
- Michael Rotenberg … Executive Producer
- Nancy Geller … Executive Producer
- Nina Rosenstein … Coordinating Producer
- Sue Fellows … Supervising Producer
- Nelson George … Supervising Producer
- Louis C.K. … Co-Producer, Writer
- Jeff Stilson … Co-Producer, Writer
- Jon Hayman … Consulting Producer, Writer
- Tara Elia … Segment Producer
- Scott Preston … Director
- Lance Crouther … Writer
- Gregory Greenberg … Writer
- Ali LeRoi … Writer
- Chuck Sklar … Writer
- Grandmaster Flash … Theme Music by
- Chris Rock … Host
- Montaria Ivey … Announcer
- Johnnie Cochran … Guest, Interviewee
- Conan O'Brien … Guest
- Mario Joyner … Cast, Coleman Brooks
- Todd Bridges
- Michael Jackson
- Prince (see also: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince)
- Dennis Rodman
- O.J. Simpson
- Mike Tyson