Chris Rock Named ShoWest 2001 Comedy Star of the Year.

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 20, 2001

Fresh off the smash opening of his latest film, "Down to Earth," which he also co-wrote and executive produced, Chris Rock now prepares for another starring role -- ShoWest's 2001 Comedy Star of the Year.

The announcement was made today by Robert Sunshine, chairman of Sunshine Group Worldwide (SGW), which operates the annual event. Rock will be honored at the annual Gala Award Banquet sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company, to be held at the Bally's and Paris Hotels in Las Vegas on March 8.

"We are proud to recognize one of the most exciting and talked-about talents in Hollywood," said Sunshine. "Chris is not only a fresh and brilliant comedic performer but also a talented writer and producer. He is poised to remain one of our generation's strongest comedic voices."

Hailed as "probably the funniest and smartest comedian working today" by The New York Times and frequently compared to such stand-up legends as Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce, Rock has turned the entertainment world upside-down with a unique brand of comedy that mixes street logic, raw honesty, anger and charm.

Rock is next set to begin production on Walt Disney Pictures' "Black Sheep" opposite Anthony Hopkins. The film will be directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Rock will also star later this year in "Osmosis Jones" for Warner Bros. as well as in the MTV/Paramount Pictures release "Pootie Tang."

In addition to "Down to Earth," Rock recently starred in the dark comedy "Nurse Betty," directed by Neil LaBute and also starring Renee Zellweger and Morgan Freeman, and last year's "Dogma," from writer-director Kevin Smith.

The Brooklyn-raised Rock, who has garnered three Emmys and two Grammy Awards, made his feature film debut in "Beverly Hills Cop II" with Eddie Murphy. He went on to write, create, star in and produce the hit rap comedy "CB4" for Universal Pictures in 1993.

Other film credits include "Boomerang," with Eddie Murphy; "Panther," a drama spotlighting the lives of the `60s activist group "The Black Panthers," directed by Mario Van Peebles; "New Jack City" (which marked Rock's dramatic debut as a desperate crack addict), with Wesley Snipes; and "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka!," with Keenen Ivory Wayans. The summer of 1998 saw Rock co-star in a pair of $100 million-plus-grossing films: "Lethal Weapon 4" and "Dr. Dolittle."

"Bigger & Blacker," Rock's most recent HBO special and CD recorded on the stage of Harlem's famed Apollo Theater, earned him a 2000 Grammy Award for Best Spoken or Comedy Album. His previous HBO specials include "Bring the Pain" and the 1994 CableAce Award-winning "Chris Rock: Big Ass Jokes." The latter special was honored with two 1997 Emmy Awards for Best Writing and Outstanding Special.

HBO's "The Chris Rock Show," created in the wake of his two award-winning specials, was honored with two 1999 Emmy nominations for writing and hosting, and received an Emmy Award for Best Writing.

A multifaceted performer, Rock wrote a book, "Rock This" (Hyperion, 1997), that spent time on both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists; serves as executive producer of the hit UPN sitcom "The Hughleys"; and also recently developed The Illtop Journal, a new humor magazine based at Washington, D.C.'s Howard University.

Rock got his start honing his comedic skills on the comedy club circuit. He soon realized a long-held dream when he joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1989. He also made several guest appearances on Fox's "In Living Color."

The 2000 ShoWest Comedy Star of the Year was Drew Barrymore. Previous winners of the award include Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey and Billy Crystal.

ShoWest 2001 will be held from Monday, March 5, through Thursday, March 8, at Bally's and Paris Hotels in Las Vegas. Celebrating its 27th year, ShoWest is the world's largest motion picture industry convention. Each year, ShoWest attracts delegates from more than 45 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. ShoWest is managed by Sunshine Group Worldwide, operators of ShowEast, Cinema Expo and CineAsia.