Chris Rock Says Wokeness Has No Forgiveness, Compares Era to Salem Witch Trials

Chris Rock is never one to shy away from a hot take, and his latest one is getting people talking. On“The Daily”podcast, Rock said modern wokeness lacks forgiveness, comparing the post-George Floyd era to the Salem witch trials and the Old Testament. His argument? Helping marginalized people is great, but institutionalizing that energy creates problems, and forgiveness doesn’t mean condoning abuse. He even said he’s glad the woke era happened because it amplified important voices.

Not everyone’s on board. Former Hillary Clinton staffer Kaivan Shroff pushed back, saying Rock oversimplifies a complicated issue and that comedians use outrage to make their material feel edgy. Rock fired back with his own line about that: you don’t get to use outrage as part of the act and then act shocked when the outrage follows. Fair point or cheap shot? That’s for you to decide.

All of this comes as Rock promotes“Misty Green,”the new film he wrote, directed, and stars in. The movie takes on Hollywood’s expiration dates and inequality in Los Angeles, which means Rock is mixing promo with provocation. Smart move or genuine frustration? Drop your take in the comments and let’s get into it.