Howie Mandel remembers being on hand for Chris Rock’s 'controversial' TV debut 35 years ago

The comedian is a superstar, but on May 15, 1987, he was an unknown, green stand-up comedianwhen he did a set on the last episode of “The Late Show,” Fox’s ill-fated attempt to join the late-night TV landscape with Joan Rivers as host.

It’s well known that Eddie Murphy had discovered Rock and Mandel said the younger comedian made a clutch decision by electing to appear on the final episode of a doomed talk show instead of going the more traditional route of performing on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” which had been the dream for scores of comics, signaling they had arrived.

“But I thought that was a real bold move and a real smart strategic move on his, Eddie Murphy’s or his manager’s . There was probably more people going to watch the last episode of ‘Joan Rivers’ than any episode at the time of Johnny Carson.” “The risk was, if I’m going to launch into television, and I’m going to launch into the world, where can I definitely get the most eyeballs?” Mandel said. “And as much as it was a risk to your career by pissing off Johnny, there was no doubt about that night was going to get more eyeballs than Johnny Carson.”

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