Chris Rock first gained attention as a cast member during the early 1990s resurgence of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), though he found more lasting success as a stand-up comic, ranking No. 5 on Comedy Central’s list of the “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.” Rock’s edgy, brilliant material often dared to take on the African-American establishment, but his critiques of broader American culture and politics proved to have universal appeal. Rock teamed with HBO to produce a number of Emmy Award-nominated stand-up specials, including “Bring the Pain” (1996), and went on to host the
