The actor joked that he doesn't hire women anymore since they "cry rape" during a gig at New York City's Comedy Cellar.

Chris Rock attempted to joke about sexual harassment and assault during a recent set at New York City’s famed Comedy Cellar, but the jokes left the audience speechless in the wake of real allegations being made against Hollywood executives, directors, and more. Page Six reports that Rock’s November 2 stand-up gig included jokes in which the comedian said he is no longer hiring women since they “cry rape.”

“[Women] cry rape because they want money,” Rock reportedly joked. He said he would need a crew of witnesses around him should he ever hire a woman because then he’d be able to deny a potential rape accusation. Rock even joked he wouldn’t be hiring a cleaning lady out of fear of false harassment and assault allegations.

Page Six also reports that Rock’s set received boos from the audience and that several women called Rock a “sexist pig.” “Nobody was laughing,” one attendee told the newspaper. “There were many boos and many women who were telling him he was a sexist pig. Two people got kicked out.”

When comedian Jeff Ross started his set right after Rock finished, he reportedly tried to defuse the awkwardness in the room by saying, “Now that we got that Chris Rock kid out of the way. . .”

Rock’s controversial jokes were made before five women accused his friend and former co-worker Louis C.K. of sexual misconduct in a report published by The New York Times. But the jokes still arrived in the wake of allegations against the likes of Harvey Weinstein, James Toback, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, and Brett Ratner, among others. Page Six reached out to Rock’s publicist but the representative had no comment.



