With Chris Rock visiting The Tyra Banks Show (@tyrashow) to promote his new film Good Hair and with Tyra causing a stir after she revealed her real hair on the season premier of her show last month, the producers of Tyra dedicate an entire episode to all things hair – with Chris Rock.  Chris, Tyra and hair.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.

It’s a great interview not only because of Chris Rock’s brutally honest jokes (and moments of obvious discomfort at being the lone male voice on the stage discussing women’s hair) but because Tyra brings real women on the show to reveal their real hair as well and responds to several of the letters and media commentaries she’s received since going natural.  According to Tyra (ever so modest), she caused an “international phenomenon” (her words, not mine), by revealing her real hair.  She goes on to explain that “millions of people all over the world” have reached out to her via email, letters, Twitter, etc. to say how inspired they were by her “real hair”.  (Apparently, little old ladies in the Appalachian mountains watched Tyra and were inspired to remove their scarves and wigs and run wild through the fields of grass shouting, “I love my hair!! I love my Hair!!!”)  Yes, Tyra is changing the world one hair follicle at a time.

Tyra and Chris Rock proceed to have a frank discussion about hair that gives rock the perfect platform for his “take no prisoners” humor, yet even Rock seems to get that as a man (when it comes to being asked about women’s hair) it’s best to keep his mouth shut and nod approvingly (and crack a joke if you can).

Going straight for the kill, Tyra asks Rock, “What kind of hair do you like (wig, weave, bald, curly, straight, etc.).”  This tricky question (right up there with, “Do you think I’m fat?”) could be the kiss of death for even the most sensitive man on the planet.  It’s a no-win question, but Chris Rock weaves through the question (no pun intended) with ease.  What kind of hair does Rock prefer on a woman:

“I like a woman that likes me!  If you feel like you just have to have some Chris Rock in ya, then I like you!”

Score!!  Tyra nods approvingly, then drops the bomb on him with a question no man wants to hear:

“So Chris, what do you think of my hair?”

He sums up Tyra’s natural hair as being the old beautiful “Sports Illustrated” Tyra he fell in love with — comparing the the wig she’s worn for years to “helmet hair”.  He quickly recovers after Tyra cuts him a look:  “But beautiful helmet hair!”  That’s a good boy, Chris.  You’re doing fine.

When asked why women are so afraid to reveal their real hair to their boyfriends and husbands, Rock dodges making a statement about hair again by focusing on another body image issue with women and actually glorifying that part of the woman’s body:

“Hair? Black men don’t care about hair! All we care about is ass! If you ain’t got no ass, it’s a deal-breaker!”

Clearly, Rock has been through the hair minefield before (and may have the scars to show for it).  He gave all the right answers and stayed funny and on his feet with Tyra (who was seemingly in predatory mode with her questions – almost daring him to say the wrong thing).  When asked by Tyra if he’d like to help her remove a weave from a model who was almost teary-eyed explaining her hair horror story, Rock didn’t skip a beat — enthusiastically jumping up and saying:

“Uh… I… yeah… anything.”

That’s as close to a “yes” as you’re going to get from any man on this planet trapped in that god-awful predicament.  What Chris was likely wanted to say was:

“Hell no!  That shit is nasty!  Plus, she ain’t got no ass!!”

Rock proved to be a good sport.  For that reason alone, I might actually see Good Hair.

Good day.

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