Fact Check

Did Chris Rock Make a 'Heartbreaking' Post?

An intriguing article tease went around online after comedian Chris Rock was slapped by actor Will Smith during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony.

Published March 30, 2022

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: In this handout photo provided by A.M.P.A.S.,  Chris Rock is seen backstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Al Seib
/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images) (Al Seib /A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)
Image Via Al Seib /A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images
Claim:
Chris Rock made a "heartbreaking recent post" that "has new meaning now."
Context

After actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars, an article tease from The New York Post claimed that Rock had recently made a "heartbreaking recent post." The tease led to an article published on PageSix.com, a website affiliated with the Post. It said that Rock had previously discussed on a podcast that he had been bullied as a child and sought therapy later in life. However, despite these revelations, the truth was that there was no "heartbreaking recent post." The article mentioned nothing of Rock's making any posts, whether on social media or elsewhere. The tease appeared to be misleading clickbait.

On March 30, 2022, a misleading article tease appeared on The New York Post's website that said: "Chris Rock's Heartbreaking Recent Post Has New Meaning Now." The tease in question was displayed days after actor Will Smith struck comedian Chris Rock across the face at the Oscars.

Did this mean that Rock had previously made a social media post about the Oscars or Smith? Perhaps it meant he addressed the incident at the Academy Awards? Is he active on Instagram and Twitter? These are some questions that might have come to mind for anyone who saw the intriguing tease.

According to an online ad Chris Rock recently made a heartbreaking post on social media or elsewhere. Source: The New York Post

Despite the promise in this tease, which kind of resembled an ad, the resulting article mentioned nothing of Rock having made a "heartbreaking" post, whether on social media or wherever else. It appeared to be misleading clickbait.

Upon clicking the tease, it led to ZergNet.com. In order to read the resulting story, we then clicked again on the words, "Chris Rock's Heartbreaking Recent Post Has New Meaning Now." We were then led to a story on PageSix.com, a website affiliated with the Post.

The article had the headline, "Chris Rock recently opened up about letting people ‘walk all over’ him." It was about how Rock had discussed on a podcast that he was bullied as a child and that it led him to seek therapy later in life.

It referenced a story on People.com that was published on March 29. The People.com article mentioned nothing of Rock making a "heartbreaking recent post," which was the claim made by the tease on The New York Post's website:

Chris Rock recently expressed that he's let people "walk all over" him since his childhood.

His revelation came on the Jan. 12 episode of Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade, two months before Will Smith smacked the comedian across the face during Sunday's Academy Awards.

On the podcast, Rock, 57, recounted being "bullied ridiculously" throughout his childhood. He said, "Half of the bullying was because I was just a little guy. Then I got bused to school and the bullying was because I was little guy and I was Black. I was getting double bullied."

Rock also talked on the podcast about dealing with childhood trauma in therapy, saying: "Until you deal with all your childhood shit, you just, nothing's gonna work out for you."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT5KiNcNKkg

In sum, while it's possible that Rock's recent bullying and therapy revelations during a January 2022 podcast could potentially have "new meaning" following the Oscars incident with Smith, there's no evidence that Rock made a "heartbreaking recent post." It appeared to be misleading clickbait from The New York Post.

Sources

“Chris Rock’s Heartbreaking Recent Post Has New Meaning Now.” ZergNet.com, https://www.zergnet.com/news/7133641/chris-rocks-heartbreaking-recent-post-has-new-meaning-now.
Steinbuch, Yaron. “Chris Rock Recently Opened up about Letting People ‘Walk All over’ Him.” Page Six, 30 Mar. 2022, https://pagesix.com/2022/03/30/chris-rock-recently-talked-about-being-bullied-as-a-child/.
Wenger, Stephanie. “Chris Rock Said He Let People ‘Walk All Over’ Him 2 Months Before Will Smith Smacked Him at Oscars.” People.com, 29 Mar. 2022, https://people.com/movies/chris-rock-said-he-let-people-walk-all-over-him-2-months-before-will-smith-smacked-him-at-oscars/.

Jordan Liles is a Senior Reporter who has been with Snopes since 2016.