Chris Rock: Selective Outrage will be broadcast this Saturday night and will be the first time Netflix has aired in real time.
The special will have a lead-up and a post-show featuring celebrities including Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Sir Paul McCartney and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Netflix wouldn’t discuss the content of Rock’s show, but the comedian spent much of last year on a world tour performing a routine that included “Slap in the Face” jokes.
In March of last year, Will Smith impulsively took the stage at the Oscars and slapped Rock in response to a joke the comedian made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, who suffers from alopecia.
The Los Angeles police asked Rock at the time if he wanted to file a complaint against Smith, but he recused himself and has not publicly commented on the incident since then, except at his shows.
“March 4 is going to be a fun night, with an amazing set from Chris Rock, one of the greatest comedians of all time, and with contributions from an impressive list of special guests,” said Robbie Praw, Vice President of Comedy for Netflix.
“Our goal is to bring the best comedy entertainment to our users, and this live event reinforces how much we continue to invest in the genre.”
Netflix, the world’s leading streaming platform, has conquered millions of viewers of traditional broadcast television, but last year it lost subscribers for the first time.
The company, which has since grown again, is testing several new models, such as live content.
The company held a live comedy festival in more than 35 theaters in Los Angeles, California, but the shows were not broadcast on the platform in real time.
Starting next year, Netflix will broadcast live the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), a major ceremony on the road to the Oscars, Hollywood’s biggest night.
The company would also be looking for alternatives to offer live sports on its platform. Rivals like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video already include live sports and music events in their content.
Saturday’s special will be Rock’s second for Netflix, after the one recorded in 2018 Chris Rock: Tamborine.
The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12 in Los Angeles.