Barry Bonds: “Clearly” a question of record; Chris Rock on Babe Ruth

Donna Hernandez

Barry Bonds: “Clearly” a question of record; Chris Rock on Babe Ruth

Barry Bonds, 43, and 3 home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron’s career record, may or may not have used steroids to enhance his baseball playing abilities, however, one of BALCO industries chemists is alleging he did.

Last night on HBO’s Costas Now, Patrick Arnold, a Bay area chemist, who created “the clear”, a form of undetectable steroids, claimed he often heard BALCO’s founder, Victor Conte, refer to Barry Bonds as being on “the program”.

Regardless of whether Bonds took “the clear”, there is no proof that steroids are able to enhance one’s ability to play a better game. An increase in strength and muscle mass, yes, a better game, questionable. Patrick Arnold thinks steroids also enhance hand eye coordination. Again, this has yet to be proven.

The better part of Costas Now however, was Chris Rock’s hilarious rip on Babe Ruth versus Satchel Paige, a Black ball player. One of his best lines came when Bob Costas asked about why Rock is not a fan of Babe Ruth:

“It’s not that I don’t like Babe Ruth, I just don’t think he was the best of his time. Satchel Paige was striking people out from his wheel chair at age 63! And he was tenth best. There were nine Negro players better than him!”

“It’s almost like saying - I won the New York City Marathon this year - but no Kenyans ran!”

“It’s not a sport until brothers show up - it’s just a game.”

To view the Costas Now show, check the HBO listings in your area.

Meanwhile, here’s a clip of Chris Rock laying into the Barry Bonds issue on the Late Show with David Letterman. “The government ‘ain’t trying to get Osama Bin Laden,” Rock said. “They trying to get Barry Bonds.”

Hilarity.

Posted at 6:12 PM, Jul 25, 2007 in Media Analysis | Permalink | View Comments

Comments

My problem with Chris Rock (who belongs with Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia in the category of Comics I Don't Think are Funny) is that he too often fails to base his shtick on accurate or meaningful observations. It's just dumb shtick, and he'll say anything (no matter how pointless) to get a laugh. It's all about his hacky delivery rhythms -- Catskills via Brooklyn. What he says hardly matters as long as he sounds like he's being funny. He could be speaking Ancient Greek and he hits you so hard you'd still know exactly where you're supposed to laugh, whether it's funny or not.

Take the following, everyone knows that the MLB in 20's and 30's were vastly superior than the Negro Legues. Even Black basebal historians could tell you that. Second of all, Barry Bonds is Chasing Hank Arrons record not Babe Ruth.

Lame set-up, phony-outrageous non-sequitur punchline. That's Rock in a nutshell. (This might have been funny, in a Colbert-esque way, if Rock had been in character as Nat X. Does Rock know the difference? If not, what's the point? It might have worked if Rock had cited an example that he could riff on.)

I wish I could say that Rock is an articulate comedian. Or an insightful one. Or a funny one. But I don't think he is. Does anyone want to explain if/why they think this monologue is funny?

i say chris rock is on point even if he doesnt "speak so well"...not everyone can articulate as if they are philosphers...but he does make you think actually he was the first comedian to put the health care on blast with the " they aint try'n to cure they're trying to market treatment"....as for the barry bonds babe ruth thing he's right but he understands the politics of t.v. so he says enough then clowns then slips another truth then clowns....and i find him quite funny.... the truth will make you laugh...most people who have a problem with him fall in too 2 catagories.....uptight with no sense of humour or no sense of humour.......

Joshua posts: "...Take the following, everyone knows that the MLB in 20's and 30's were vastly superior than the Negro Legues." ....Where is that proof? And if I read your statement correctly you're saying the league was better, but to Rock's point does that mean that the players or athletes were? No. So in my book Ruth should absolutely have an asterisk next to his name he didn't compete against all of the best, he had an affirmative action advantage.