Parlé: I know your show, TheTony Rock Project, aired in 2008, I believe?
Tony Rock: Yeah.
Parlé: What’s up with that? Are you still working on it? Is there a new season coming? What’s Up?
Tony Rock: No, The Tony Rock Project is done. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted it to be. I tried to do something different than what people have seen, but you know, once the suits get involved, they put the shackles on and tell you, you can’t do this, you can’t say that, you can’t do that. So The Tony Rock Project was the best that I could do with what I was given. It was the only time in my career that I really did something that I wasn’t one hundred percent happy with. I kind of did it for the check, and I never, ever want to work like that again in my life. I never want to work just because, ‘hey they’re giving me this much money so I might as well do it’. So that was the only thing so far in my career that I wasn’t one hundred percent happy with.
Parlé: So was The Tony Rock Project something that was more or less your brain child, or did the producers come to you with it?
Tony Rock:Yeah, it was something that was brought to me, so I mean, I gave my input, I put a lot into it, but like the producers, the cast they hired; I didn’t know any of the people that they hired. They cast the show without any of my input, they implemented some of their ideas without any of my input, and then at the end of the day they were like let’s just call it The Tony Rock Project, because I guess my name had a little bit more cachŽ for the sale. But it wasn’t my brain child, no.
Parlé: What would you say, from now to whenever you decide to call it quits, is just something that you have to accomplish? Something you can’t ‘hang it up’, without saying you’ve done.
Tony Rock: Several things, many things. I’d say I can’t leave without doing a HBO special in Brooklyn. I can’t leave without doing a movie. I want to do a movie about the Negro Leagues (baseball). I don’t think I can leave without doing that one. I’ve always wanted to do a movie about the Negro Leagues.
Parlé: Wow. I’m behind you one hundred percent on that one! (laughs)
Tony Rock:Yeah, especially shot in Brooklyn. On a personal note, I would love to have kids one day. There are just several things I want to do before I leave and send my jersey up into the rafters (laughs).
Parlé: For all the young comedians and young entertainers trying to get to where you are, and beyond, what advice would you give them about breaking into the business, or getting their start and getting their foot in the water?
Tony Rock: For comics especially, you’ve got to work. It sounds simple, but you got to work, you’ve got to get on stages as much as possible. I was talking to a young comic yesterday at the Laugh Factory, and he was saying how difficult it was to get stage time, and how he can’t get in to this club and that club. And I was like, ‘Yeah, but there are a bunch of open mics at restaurants, coffee shops, and stuff like that.’ So, the only thing that’s important in the beginning is getting on stage. It doesn’t matter where you get on stage, the only thing that’s important is getting on stage. Where ever there’s a stage and a mic, and an opportunity to perform you should be there. The only thing I can say for young comics is just to work your ass off. When you think you’re working as hard as you possibly can, you can probably work a little bit harder. Constantly write, and never steal jokes.
Parlé: Ultimately you’re saying that you’ve got to be on your grind?
Tony Rock: Yeah! Tenacity. Before you go to bed every night, you should ask yourself, ‘Was I tenacious today? Was I tenacious about going toward and passing my goal?’
Parlé: What’s next for Tony Rock? What do you have upcoming?
Tony Rock: The Comedy Central special aired February 19th. That’s big. I start touring at the end of the spring. I’ll be out on the road until maybe September, October. Just running around slinging these jokes.
Parlé: Definitely. Doing your job well.
Tony Rock: Yeah, and waiting for an opportunity, and/or movie. And trying to produce the next idea. You know, I’m not just waiting for the next opportunity to come to me, I’m going to try to create it myself.
images by Nicholas Christopher
Interview by Charles “Cash” Stokes
It takes much more than raw talent to make it in the world of entertainment. For comics especially, it takes a drive and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make your dream come true. It means late nights, early mornings and confidence in your ability. “Where ever there’s a stage, a mic, and an opportunity to perform you should be there.” It requires you to ask yourself every night, “Was I tenacious today?” Tony Rock…Tenacity at Its Finest.