Chris Rock left a star-studded billionaire’s winter holiday party in chaos after storming off the stage just minutes into his surprise comedy set, according to reports.
Rock, who is believed to charge a seven figure rate for private appearances, reportedly bolted out after spotting someone recording his performance.
The 59-year-old comedian was a featured act at the lavish event hosted by billionaire cardboard box mogul Anthony Pratt, the executive chairman of Pratt Industries at the Mandarin Oriental in New York.
The party, attended by some of Australia’s wealthiest individuals, also included performances by comedian Wali Collins and country music star Keith Urban. Rock’s set was unannounced and meant to surprise the VIP audience.
Rock, dressed casually, began his short routine with a joke about US politics, quipping, “Our new push will be outer space. We'll put all the Mexicans on the rockets,” drawing laughter from the crowd.
However, things took a dramatic turn when, according to gossip columnist Cindy Adams of the New York Post, Rock abruptly ended his performance.
“Whatever he saw — or thought he saw — upset him,” Adams reported. She described the scene, saying, “He went momentarily ape and shouted something like he wasn't supposed to be taped, videoed, reported, or whatever else wasn’t supposed to happen.
"He was barrelling quickly, forcefully, through people to the exit doors," she explained. "He kept b****ing loudly and, without a second's hesitation, stormed out — never to return."
The dramatic exit contrasted sharply with Pratt's previous events, such as a Melbourne bash earlier this year at his $100 million mansion, which featured a private performance by Katy Perry.
Rock’s abrupt departure comes nearly three years after his infamous public incident, often dubbed The Slap Heard Around the World.
At the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022, actor Will Smith slapped Rock onstage after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The fallout was intense and led to Smith being barred from the Academy Awards for ten years.
Smith has apologised for the incident and expressed a desire to make amends with Rock, but the comedian is uninterested.
Evening Standard has contacted Chris Rock’s representatives for comment.
