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Chris Rock's Opening SNL Monologue Was A Little Uncomfortable, But Please Don't Call It Divisive

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

When it was announced that Chris Rock and Prince would be teaming up for a night of comedic and musical genius on Saturday Night Live, many hearts stopped (including my own.) The sheer glee of knowing that I'd be able to cap off a day of recovering from All Hollow's Eve with the king's (or Princes, in this case) of my two favorite realms of entertainment on one of my favorite late-night programs was simply the only way I could imagine spending my Saturday. Finally, the clock hits 11:30 and we're all in place. They hit us with a cold start on the mad antics of New Jersey governor Chris Christie in regards to his Ebola containment efforts or lack thereof and after the program's standard player roll-call, Rock takes it to the stage.

What follows--although clearly brand new, untested material--is vintage Rock. Without giving away the punchlines or "oh shit moments" he touches  on topics of the moment--starting with the newly-open-for-business Freedom Tower here in NYC--and his approach should be nothing new--unless this appearance on SNL is your first introduction to the irreverent and iconic comedian. He's certainly addressed the tragedy and misinformation following 9/11  before and much closer to the time when it was still (almost literally) criminally taboo to discuss so candidly. Now he's reflecting on consumer culture and the all-out commodification of Christmas. Yes, religion and terrorism are touchy subjects but subtlety has never been part of Rock's shtick (remember the "tossed salad man"? Was jailhouse rape ever so tearfully funny?).

Rock (and his peers) have long been a necessary, proper and sobering perspective of the world that's always been just as enraging as it's been soothing. So feel free to not like his monologue. Feel free to be uncomfortable, or even offended. Feel free to point out his timing may have been a shade off on some of the touchier jokes, he may have misjudged the tension in the room. But please don't call it divisive--like he was on the "wrong" side of Christmas or terrorism as if there issues that need to be debated. Who was he appealing to so divisively--people who hate Christmas? People who like terrorism? C'mon, son. Reactions may have been divided, but that's not the same thing. If only for the sake of keeping some sort of spark alive within the slowly dissipating top-tier of comedians (let's be honest; there's a general lack of outspoken, vital voices speaking truth to the community at large) can we please give Rock his due for making his first appearance in 20 years on the show that first put his face in your living room? Can we at least afford him that much? Can he live?