America's Party, originally known as America's Independent Party, is a conservative American political party formed in 2008 by supporters of Alan Keyes as an alternative to the Republican, Democratic and other parties.

Founding[link]

Alan Keyes 2008 candidacy before the AIP[link]

Alan Keyes declared his candidacy for President seeking the Republican nomination on September 14, 2007. Just three days later, Keyes placed third in the Family Research Council's Values Voter straw poll, behind Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul, garnering 5% of support.^[3]

The Keyes campaign drew limited support in any of the caucuses or primaries that took place. In the Iowa caucuses, Keyes claimed some of the state's ballots did not even list him as a candidate, and his campaign CEO, Stephen Stone, stated that the reason Keyes did not show up on most ballots was primarily because Keyes had decided to enter the election cycle so late. He also blamed the media for not recognizing Keyes as a viable candidate, excluding him from debates and providing practically no campaign coverage.^[4]

Keyes was awarded four Republican Party convention delegates, more than he received in 1996 but less than in 2000. In early 2008, Keyes explored the possibility of allying himself with the Constitution Party, marking this change away from his lifelong involvement in the GOP with a speech on April 15 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, a town which has been a battleground in the political fight over illegal immigration.^{[citation needed]} However, due primarily to his fundamental disagreement with CP founder Howard Phillips over foreign policy, the party instead selected Chuck Baldwin at the party's convention.^[5] Following the defeat, Keyes told a group of his supporters that he was "prayerfully considering" continuing his candidacy as an independent,^[6] and refused to endorse Baldwin.^[7]

AIP formation[link]

Following the failure to come together with the Constitution Party, Keyes' supporters formed America's Independent Party, which held its convention in Fenton, Michigan on August 21, 2008, making Keyes their Presidential nominee. A press release from the party said: "John McCain has abandoned the principles of Ronald Reagan – particularly the Reagan pro-life platform plank," and the party also opposed John McCain on other points, such as his opposition to a federal amendment outlawing marriage for same-sex couples, sponsoring McCain/Feingold legislation, which they said was "a direct attack on their First Amendment rights to political free speech and grassroots citizen activism;" they also opposed his support for immigration reform, deriding it as "amnesty" and his support for legislation intended to combat global warming.^[8] The AIP gained ballot access in three states and became an officially recognized write-in candidate in several dozen others. A struggle within the American Independent Party of California (the California affiliate of the Constitution Party), between a pro-Keyes faction and Constitution Party supporters of the 2008 candidacy of Chuck Baldwin, led to the placement of Keyes and Wiley S. Drake on the ballot as the AIP-CA nominees, where they received 40,673 votes. Two lawsuits by the Baldwin forces to regain control of the California AIP, one before the election and one after, failed. Keyes also received 2545 votes on the AIP ticket in Florida,^[9] 3,051 votes in Colorado, and write-in votes in a few other states, for a nationwide total of 47,768 recorded votes.^[10]

Renaming and financing[link]

According to the party's official website, it has renamed itself America's Party.^[11] The party's website announces that, "America's Party does not accept financial contributions... Instead, we're asking you to directly support fully-vetted, proven, principled candidates, so that 100% of your precious resources will go directly to the most important work."^[12] Instead, the party maintains a "Directory of Approved Candidates, State, County & Local Front Porch Caucuses" on its website (paid for by party Chairman Tom Hoefling). There was a convention on February 18, 2012 to nominate candidates for President and Vice President resulting in the nominations of Tom Hoefling as Presidential candidate and J.D. Ellis as Vice Presidential candidate.^[13] During this convention the America's Party also ratified its 2012 platform.^[14].

Issues[link]

Tax reform[link]

The party seeks to reform the tax structure by advocating the repeal of the 16th Amendment, and despite the fact that many members support the FairTax, the platform remains open on what to replace the Federal income tax with.

Other issues[link]

The party supports the Federal Marriage Amendment being added to the U.S. Constitution. It is also pro-life on abortion.

2012 presidential election[link]

On February 18, 2012, Party chairman Tom Hoefling was chosen as the America's Party 2012 presidential nominee in an online nominating convention. J.D. Ellis was selected as the vice presidential nominee.^[15][16]

References[link]

See also[link]

Conservatism portal

External links[link]

• AP website

Coordinates: 36°7′15″N 115°10′20″W / 36.12083°N 115.17222°W / 36.12083; -115.17222

America's Party is the name of the free New Year's Eve event held on the Las Vegas Strip put together by Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.^[1] The party is telecast with special events for the Eastern Time Zone as America's Party: Live from Las Vegas.^[2] The party also encompasses the paid event held in the Fremont Street Experience.^[3]

The party's high point is generally the fireworks show at midnight by Fireworks by Grucci.^[1]

History[link]

America's Party 2002, titled A Star-Spangled New Year, had Ryan Seacrest hosting the event on the TV broadcast America's Party: Live from Las Vegas.^[4][5]

For the 2003 party, Ryan Seacrest hosted the event on the TV broadcast America's Party: Live from Las Vegas.^[6] Pyro Spectacular provided the fireworks for this show.^[7]

America's party 2005 celebrated the 100th anniversary of Las Vegas and began with a B-1 bomber flyover of the Strip. Fireworks were launched from the Excalibur, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Bally's, Flamingo, Venetian, Treasure Island, Stardust, Circus-Circus and Stratosphere.^[1]

America's Party 2007 was launched from 10 rooftops with coverage from CD USA and DirecTV.^[8]

America's Party 2008. The Best is Yet to Come, was launched from the MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Flamingo Las Vegas, Venetian, Treasure Island (TI), Circus-Circus and Stratosphere.^[9]

For America's Party 2009, the traditional rooftop fireworks display was replaced by a ground based show due to additional fire department requirements that were put in place following the Monte Carlo Hotel fire. The firework for the Takin' it to the Streets show, were launched from: Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Luxor Hotel, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, Las Vegas Convention Center and the Stratosphere Casino.^[10]

The fireworks return to the rooftops for the 2010 party, A Vegas Celebration", using the MGM Grand, Aria, Planet Hollywood Resort, Caesar's Palace, Venetian Resort, Treasure Island and the Stratosphere Tower.^[11]

The 2011 version launches an 8 minute 6 second show by Fireworks by Grucci from MGM Grand, Aria, Planet Hollywood, Caesar's Palace, The Venetian, Treasure Island and the Stratosphere Tower.^[12][13] Grucci also provides a separate fireworks show for the Fremont street experience.^[14]

For 2012 the show will be launched from the Tropicana, MGM Grand, Aria, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian and the Stratosphere.^[15] The show is being produced by Fireworks by Grucci.^[16]

Notes[link]

Jill Stein (born 1950) is an American physician and candidate for President of the United States in 2012 with the Green Party of the United States.^[1][2] Stein was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in the 2002 and the 2010 gubernatorial elections.^[3][4][5] Stein is a resident of Lexington, Massachusetts and a 1979 graduate of Harvard Medical School.^[6] She serves on the boards of Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and MassVoters for Fair Elections, and has been active with the Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy Communities.^[7]

In October 2011, Stein announced her candidacy for the presidential nomination of the Green Party in the 2012 general election.

Politics[link]

Positions[link]

Stein advocates for the creation of a "Green New Deal", the objective of which would be to employ "every American willing and able to work" to address "climate change...[and the] converging water, soil, fisheries, forest, and fossil fuel crises" by working towards "sustainable energy, transportation and production infrastructure: clean renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, intra-city mass transit and inter-city railroads, “complete streets” that safely encourage bike and pedestrian traffic, regional food systems based on sustainable organic agriculture, and clean manufacturing of the goods needed to support this sustainable economy".^[8] The initial cost of the Green New Deal would be funded by various mechanisms, including "taxing Wall Street speculation, off shore tax havens, millionaires and multimillion dollar estates" as well as a 30% reduction in the U.S. military budget.^[8] She cites a study of the economic effects of the 1930s New Deal projects by Dr. Phillip Harvey, Professor of Law & Economics at Rutgers School of Law as academic evidence for the Green New Deal.^[8]

Activities[link]

In October 2011, Stein began participating in the Occupy protests at the Occupy Boston peaceful protest.^[9] Speaking to the protesters, Stein said "The Occupy movement is a cry for change from workers whose jobs have been shipped overseas and young people whose future is being stolen from them by politicians intent on serving Wall Street rather than the people...People are being forced from their homes by big banks that defrauded consumers. The planet is being sacrificed to protect profits of polluters."^[10]

Electoral campaign history[link]

Governor, 2002[link]

Stein at a protest against coal.

Stein was the Green-Rainbow Party candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and finished third in a field of five candidates, with 76,530 votes and about 3.5% of the vote.^[11]

Massachusetts House of Representatives, 2004[link]

Following her third place results in the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Stein ran for state representative in 2004 for the Lexington District.^[12] She received 3,911 votes for 21.3 percent of the vote in a three-way race but lost to incumbent Thomas M. Stanley, who received 59.6 percent.^[13]

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2006[link]

Stein was nominated for Secretary of the Commonwealth on March 4, 2006, at the Green-Rainbow Party state-wide nominating convention. In a two-way race with three-term incumbent Democrat Bill Galvin, Stein received 353,551 votes for 18% of the total vote.^[14] Stein's 18% marked the best finish for a Green Party candidate running for Secretary of State in any state to date.^{[citation needed]}

Jill Stein announcing her candidacy for governor in February 2010

Town of Lexington Town Meeting Representative, 2005 and 2008[link]

Stein was elected to the Town Meeting Seat, Precinct 2 (Lexington, Massachusetts) in March 2005 local elections.^{[citation needed]} She finished first of 16 candidates running for 7 seats receiving 539 votes, for 20.6% of the total vote.^{[citation needed]} Stein was re-elected in 2008 finishing second of thirteen vying for eight seats.^[15]

Gubernatorial election, 2010[link]

On February 8, 2010, Stein announced her entrance into the gubernatorial race on the steps of the Masscahusetts State House in Boston.^[16] She was joined in the race by candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Richard P. Purcell, a surgery clerk and ergonomics assessor, of Holyoke.^[17] In May, Stein opened her campaign office in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, near the Fields Corner MBTA station.^[18] Stein received 32,816 votes out of 2,287,407 in the November 2, 2010 general election.

Presidential campaign, 2012[link]

In August 2011, Stein gave indication that she was considering running for President of the United States with the Green Party in the 2012 national election. She indicated in a published questionnaire that she had been asked to run by a number of Green activists and felt compelled to consider the possibility after the U.S. debt-ceiling crisis which she called "the President’s astounding attack on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – a betrayal of the public interest...". In the survey, she suggested that she would announce her intentions by the end of September 2011.^[2] Stein later stated that she would announce her intentions on October 24.^[9]

On October 24, 2011 Stein launched her campaign at a press conference in Massachusetts, saying "We are all realizing that we, the people, have to take charge because the political parties that are serving the top 1 percent are not going to solve the problems that the rest of us face, we need people in Washington who will refuse to be bought by lobbyists and for whom change is not just a slogan".^[1]

In December 2011, Wisconsin Green Party leader Ben Manski was announced as Stein's campaign manager.^[19]

Principle position, 4-Point "Green New Deal"[link]

Stein's principles are directed towards voters of every political party and independents:

1. The right to a job at a living wage.
2. The transition to a sustainable, green economy.
3. A financial sector serving Americans.
4. Citizen empowerment.

In Stein's words: "We don't need to run America like a business or like the military. We need to run America like a democracy." ^[20]

[edit] Fundraising and position on super PACs

The Green Party's position is to know and follow both the laws and regulations of the area.^[21]

Stein relies on ordinary people and not super PACs financed by billionaires or wealthy firms.^[22] Her campaign donations are accepted within the legal limit on her website or by mail. ^[23] As a result of her independence from super PACs and their associated monies, Stein stated she is not beholden to special interest groups. Additionally, she is not vulnerable should the Federal court ruling of January 31, 2012 prove to pose serious problems to those that do receive massive donations. ^[24]

Personal[link]

Stein was born in Chicago and raised in Highland Park, Illinois. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts with her husband, fellow physician Richard Rohrer. The couple have two adult sons.^[25]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jill Stein for President campaign site
• Green Party Platform
• Jill Stein on Facebook

Chris Rock
Rock at the 2012 premiere of What to Expect When You're Expecting
Birth name	Christopher Julius Rock III
Born	(1965-02-07) February 7, 1965 (age 47) Andrews, South Carolina, U.S.
Medium	comedy, television, film
Nationality	American
Years active	1984–present
Genres	Black humor, musical comedy, observational comedy, political satire, satire
Subject(s)	African-American culture, American politics, current events, human sexuality, marriage, pop culture, race relations, racism
Influences	Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Pigmeat Markham, Woody Allen, Eddie Murphy,[1] Sam Kinison, George Carlin, Mort Sahl,[2] Rodney Dangerfield,[3] Bill Hicks
Influenced	Dave Chappelle,[2] Christian Finnegan,[4] George Lopez[5]
Spouse	Malaak Compton-Rock (November 23, 1996 – present; 2 children)
Website	ChrisRock.com
Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program 1997 Chris Rock: Bring the Pain 1999 The Chris Rock Show Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special 1997 Chris Rock: Bring the Pain Outstanding Writing For Variety, Music or Comedy Special 2009 Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger
Grammy Awards
Best Spoken Comedy Album 1998 Roll with the New 2000 Bigger & Blacker Best Comedy Album 2006 Never Scared
American Comedy Awards
Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special 2000 Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker

Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III^[6] (born February 7, 1965)^[7][8] is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer, and director.

After working as a standup comic and appearing in small film roles, Rock came to wider prominence as as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s. He went on to more prominent film roles, and a series of acclaimed comedy specials for HBO.

He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central.^[9] He was also voted in the UK as the 9th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007, and again in the updated 2010 list as the 8th greatest stand-up comic.

Early life[link]

Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. A few years later, they relocated and settled in the working-class area of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.^[6] His mother, Rosalie (née Tingman), was a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped; his father, Julius Rock, was a former truck driver and newspaper deliveryman.^[10] Julius died in 1988 after ulcer surgery.^[11] His younger brothers Tony, Kenny^[12] and Jordan^[13] are also in the entertainment business. His older half-brother, Charles, died in 2006 after a long struggle with alcoholism.^[14][15] Rock has said that he was influenced by the performing style of his paternal grandfather, Allen Rock, a preacher.^[6][16]

Rock was bused to schools in predominately white neighborhoods of Brooklyn, where he endured bullying and beatings from white students.^[17][18][19] As he got older, the bullying became worse and Rock's parents pulled him out of James Madison High School.^[19] He decided to drop out of high school altogether and later received a GED. Rock worked menial jobs at various fast-food restaurants.^[17][18]

Career[link]

Early career[link]

Rock began doing stand-up comedy in 1984 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star.^[6][17] He slowly rose up the ranks of the comedy circuit in addition to earning bit roles in the film I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and the TV series Miami Vice. Upon seeing his act at a nightclub, Eddie Murphy befriended and mentored the aspiring comic. Murphy gave Rock his first film role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

George Carlin was probably the biggest influence for him.^[3] Other major influences have been Sam Kinison, with whom he managed to hang out with,^[3] Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.^[3][1] Other influences have been Mort Sahl,^[2] Rodney Dangerfield,^[3] Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, Bill Hicks, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Steve Martin and Pigmeat Markham. Among the contemporaries, in 2008 he said he enjoys Chris Tucker and Adam Sandler.^[3]

[edit] Saturday Night Live

Rock became a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 1990. He and other new cast members Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade became known as the Bad Boys of SNL. In 1991, he released his first comedy album Born Suspect and won acclaim for his dramatic role as a crack addict in the film New Jack City. His tenure on SNL gave Rock national exposure.

Standup success[link]

A frustrated Rock left Saturday Night Live in 1993, appearing instead as a "special guest" star on the predominantly African American sketch show In Living Color. The show, however, was canceled months later. Rock then decided to concentrate on a film career. He wrote and starred in the mockumentary CB4 but the film was not a success. Acting jobs became scarce, and Rock abandoned Hollywood to concentrate on stand-up comedy.^[16]

Rock starred in his first HBO comedy special in 1994 titled Big Ass Jokes. But it was his second stand-up special, 1996's Bring the Pain, that reinvented Rock as one of the best comedians in the industry.^[20][21] For it Rock won two Emmy Awards and gained large critical acclaim.^[22] The segment on race in America, in which Rock used the "N word" extensively was most talked about.^[22] Adding to his popularity was his much-publicized role as a commentator for Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect during the 1996 Presidential elections^[20] which earned him another Emmy nomination.^[23] Rock also was the voice for the "Lil Penny" puppet who was the alter ego to basketball star Penny Hardaway in a series of Nike shoe commercials from 1994–1998,^[20] and hosted the '97 MTV Video Music Awards.

Rock later had two more HBO comedy specials: Bigger & Blacker in 1999, and Never Scared in 2004. Articles relating to both specials called Rock "the funniest man in America" in Time^[24] and Entertainment Weekly.^[2] HBO also aired his talk show, The Chris Rock Show, which gained critical acclaim for Rock's interviews with celebrities and politicians. The show won an Emmy for writing. His television work has won him a total of three Emmy Awards and 15 nominations.^[23] By the end of the decade, Rock was established as one of the preeminent stand-up comedians and comic minds of his generation.

During this time, Rock also translated his comedy into print form in the book Rock This! and released the Grammy Award-winning comedy albums, Roll with the New, Bigger & Blacker and Never Scared.

Rock's fifth HBO special, Kill the Messenger, premiered on September 27, 2008, and won him another Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety or music program.^[25]

Film and television[link]

Rock at the Israeli premiere of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, on November 22, 2008.

It was not until the success of his stand-up act in the late 1990s that Rock began receiving major parts in films. These include roles in Dogma, Beverly Hills Ninja, Lethal Weapon 4, Nurse Betty, The Longest Yard, Bad Company, and a starring role in Down to Earth. Rock has also increasingly worked behind the camera, both as a writer and director of Head of State and I Think I Love My Wife. In the fall of 2005, the UPN television network premiered a comedy series called Everybody Hates Chris, based on Rock's school days, of which he is the executive producer and narrator. The show has garnered both critical and ratings success.^[26] The series was nominated for a 2006 Golden Globe for Best TV Series (Musical or Comedy), a 2006 People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy, and two 2006 Emmy Awards for costuming and cinematography.^[27]

Following the release of his first documentary, 2009's Good Hair, Rock is working on a documentary about debt called Credit Is the Devil.^[28]

Academy Awards[link]

In early 2005, Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards ceremony. The decision to have Rock host the awards was seen by some as a chance to bring an "edge" to the ceremony, and to make it more relevant or appealing to younger audiences. Jokingly, Rock opened by saying "Welcome to the 77th and LAST Academy Awards!" During one segment Rock asked, "Who is this guy?" in reference to actor Jude Law seemingly appearing in every movie Rock had seen that year and implied Law was a low-rent Tom Cruise (he made a joke about filmmakers rushing production when unable to get the actors they want: "If you want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law, wait [to make the film]!"). Subsequently, a defensive Sean Penn took the stage to present and said, "In answer to our host's question, Jude Law is one of our finest young actors." (At the time, Penn and Law were shooting All the King's Men.) Law was not the only actor that Rock poked fun at that evening, however—he turned the joke on himself at one point, saying, "If you want Denzel [Washington] and all you can get is me, wait!" Older Oscar officials were reportedly displeased with Rock's performance, which did not elevate ratings for the ceremony.^[29] Rock was also criticized for referring to the Oscars as "idiotic", and asserting that heterosexual men do not watch them, in an interview prior to Oscar night.^[30][31]

Music videos[link]

Rock's first music video was for his song "Your Mother's Got a Big Head" from his album Born Suspect. Rock also made videos for his songs "Champagne" from Roll With the New and "No Sex (In the Champagne Room)" from Bigger & Blacker. Chris Rock also directed and appeared in the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Hump de Bump".

Rock appeared in the Big Daddy Kane music video "Smooth Operator" as a guy getting his hair cut.

He also appeared in Johnny Cash's "God's Gonna Cut You Down", one of the many celebrities seen lip-synching the song.

Stage plays[link]

In 2011, Rock appeared on Broadway in Stephen Adly Guirgis' play The Motherfucker with the Hat^[32] with Bobby Cannavale and Annabella Sciorra.^[32] Rock was nominated for a Drama League Award.

Comedic style and views[link]

Rock's subject matter typically involves family, politics, romance, music, class relationships, and race relations in the United States. Though not strictly autobiographical, much of his comic standpoint seem rooted in his teenage experience; his strict parents, concerned about the inadequacies of the local school system, arranged to have the adolescent Rock bused to a nearly all-white high school in Bensonhurst (an Italian-ethnic neighborhood of Brooklyn known at the time for poor race relations). In his memoir Rock This, the comedian recalls, "My parents assumed I'd get a better education in a better neighborhood. What I actually got was a worse education in a worse neighborhood. And a whole bunch of ass-whippings."^[33]

The comedian has also expressed discomfort with the notion that success in standup comedy—or, indeed, in any aspect of the entertainment industry—should oblige him to serve as a role model. In this position, he finds himself directly at odds with one of his comic idols, Bill Cosby. Cosby has reprimanded Rock both explicitly—for his famous/notorious Niggas vs. Black People track—and implicitly, for heavy use of the word "nigger."^[34] Rock has not wavered from a position explored in his 1996 Roll With The New show, and reiterated in his 1997 memoir: "Why does the public expect entertainers to behave better than everybody else? It's ridiculous...Of course, this is just for black entertainers. You don't see anyone telling Jerry Seinfeld he's a good role model. Because everyone expects whites to behave themselves...Nowadays, you've got to be an entertainer and a leader. It's too much."^[35] Often the subject of tabloids, when asked about paparazzi and the other negative aspects of fame, Rock says he accepts the bad with the good: "You can't be happy that fire cooks your food and be mad it burns your fingertips."^[36]

At the London Live Earth concert on July 7, 2007, which was broadcast live on the BBC, before introducing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rock called the crowd "motherfuckers" and "shit" after a brief sigh when he said he was joking. Due to the broadcast being at 5:45 pm Rock was immediately cut off, and the BBC made several apologies for his use of the word "motherfucker".^[37]

Personal life[link]

Rock has been married to Malaak Compton-Rock since November 23, 1996.^[38] She is the founder and executive director of StyleWorks, a non-profit, full-service salon that provides free services for women leaving welfare and entering the workforce.^[38] They have two daughters together, Lola Simone (born June 28, 2002) and Zahra Savannah (born May 22, 2004).^[39]

In November 2006, the entertainment news website TMZ.com reported that Rock was filing for divorce after nearly ten years of marriage to Malaak.^[40] Two weeks later, however, TMZ reported that Rock had not filed divorce papers, and that it appeared that the couple had been able to work out their differences and stay together.^[41] In response to the reports, the Rocks released a statement to the press denouncing them as "untrue rumors and lies".^[38]

In 2007, freelance journalist and former actress Kali Bowyer filed a paternity suit against Chris Rock, claiming he was the father of her son, and in need of hospitalization.^[42] DNA testing proved that Rock was not the child's father.^{[43][dead link]}

Rock resides in Alpine, New Jersey.^[44]

In 2008, Rock's family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2. A DNA test showed that he is descended from the Udeme people of northern Cameroon.^[45] Rock's great-great-grandfather, Julius Caesar Tingman, was a slave for 21 years before serving as part of the United States Colored Troops until 1866; Tingman fought in the American Civil War. During the 1940s, Rock's paternal grandfather moved from South Carolina to New York City to become a taxicab driver and preacher.^[46]

Work[link]

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Television[link]

Books[link]

• Rock This! (Hyperion Books, 1997) – ISBN 0-7868-6289-0

Notes[link]