D.L. Hughley has dealt with insulting jokes his entire career — whether he was the one receiving a hot joke or delivering one.
He comes from a class of seasoned comedians who often have tough skin. But even some of the sharpest comics can take offense when a punchline hits too close to home.
That was the case when Hughley and Chris Rock nearly came to blows after one comic went too far.
The two stand-ups have worked together on Hughley’s show, “The Hughleys,” with Rock as executive producer.
During an Oct. 14 appearance on Angie Martinez’s “IRL podcast,” Hughley said the show sparked a verbal altercation that nearly turned physical.
Hughley shared the story during Martinez’s In Real Life questions segment, where she asks guests to answer random questions pulled from her bowl
The actor was asked, “What is something that you used to be embarrassed about that you now own?”
He responded, “That I couldn’t read.”
Hughley admitted gang activity with the Bloods led his Southern California high school to expel him in 10th grade. He previously stated on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” in 2016 that he couldn’t read until he was 19 or 20.
When Martinez asked if he tried to hide it, he said people “had to know what it is.”
Further explaining why he felt insecure about it, he said, “I just used to feel stupid, which actually is dumb if you can’t read, but I used to feel small. It made me feel small.”
Hughley described it as the “worst feeling” before sharing how Rock made him feel that way.
“The only person that ever called me n—a that hurt my feelings was Chris Rock. The only one who ever did it, ever,” he said. “And I’ve been called n—a a lot.”
Hughley continued, explaining why the 2001 incident during “The Hughleys” run struck a nerve.
Hughley said he called Rock for his insight.
“I said, ‘Hey, man, if you going — you getting paid, you could at least give some notes and help us out. You know, we’re trying to make sure the show is good,” he told Martinez.
Hughley, recalling Rock’s snappy response, continued, “He said, ‘Me and Keenen Ivory Wayans are the only Black people that ever got Emmys, and if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have this show, you dumb n-gga.’”
Wayans won an Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series Primetime Emmy in 1990 for his sketch comedy series “In Living Color.” Rock won the first two of his four Emmys in 1997 for his comedy special “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain.”
Hughley said he gasped and told Rock, “‘Next time I see you I’m going to beat the sh-t out of you. I don’t care where it is.’”
Hughley said he and the “Everybody Hates Chris” star are cool now, as the incident happened 25 years ago.
“I’ll never forget it, but it’s not top of mind,” he said.
Hughley said he’ll do anything to stop a person from making him feel small. He recalled how one visit from his mother, who has dementia, reversed that feeling.
“She said, ‘People always thought you were dumb, but I knew you weren’t.’ And it was the first time I ever left her home and didn’t feel small,” he said.
Fans shared their reaction to Hughley and Rock’s brief beef online.
One person said, “It’s been known for a long time that he was illiterate. That’s why who he ended becoming is very impressive to me.”
A second person referencing Rock’s show “Everybody Hates Chris” said, “Now we know why everybody hated that n-gga.”
A few people mentioned the 2022 incident when Will Smith slapped Rock at the Oscars for making a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head.
They typed, “Imagine how happy he was when Will Smith slapped that n—a.”
But the fan couldn’t be more wrong.
When Rock addressed the incident in 2023 on his Netflix special “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” Hughley defended him.
After reposting a clip of the show to his Instagram, he wrote a lengthy caption that began by commending Rock. “Brilliantly executed,” he wrote.
Further in the caption, he slammed fans who criticized Rock for addressing it.
He said, “So NOW, that He decides to address it on HIS TIME, people have the audacity to say: ‘He’s bitter. Why is he still talking about that … let it go … or the best one WE’VE MOVED ON.’ So YOU got to speak on it but he can’t??? Y’all are a straight f*n trip.”
Hughley and Rock’s friendship formed at the start of Hughley’s career.
After a decade of working in sales, Hughley won an opening act spot at a local night club in 1991. He started to buzz and eventually met Rock through their shared manager.
Hughley acknowledges that his association with Rock took his career even further.
