He’s treading water at times, but the invariable finale where he reflects on being slapped by Will Smith live onstage at the Academy Awards is stinging: a settling of a score somehow both righteous and vituperative.

None of the jokes will rise to the level of iconic, or even memorable, I’m afraid. Yet Rock reminds us of his icon status simply by opening his mouth. His delivery works when nothing else does—and, in Selective Outrage, little did.

Rock’s personal grievance with Smith is legitimate, but by trying to mash it into the shape of a cultural cautionary tale, he does himself and his comedy a disservice.

“misogynoir can come even from those who are Black, who were raised by Black women and profess to value Black people.” In this show in particular, Chris Rock is the poster-boy for misogynoir.