NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Chris Rock rule at Australian tour shows raises eyebrows

By Brooke Rolfe
news.com.au·
4 Aug, 2022 02:55 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Chris Rock. Photo / Supplied

Chris Rock. Photo / Supplied

People planning to attend one of American comedian Chris Rock's upcoming shows must abide by a strict set of rules or prepare to be "immediately ejected".

The threat has raised eyebrows online ahead of the beginning of his Australian tour next week, with ticketholders given firm orders surrounding the event's phone-free policy.

Holders of tickets, which cost between A$134.85 ($150) and A$217.05, have been told "no mobile phones, smart watches, cameras or recording devices will be allowed at the venue".

Anyone who dares bring their phone into the venue can expect to be swiftly booted, the Ticketek booking site warns.

"Anyone caught with a mobile phone in the venue will be immediately ejected," the site reads.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

All devices will be stripped from audience members when they arrive, and secured in a YONDR pouch that will be unlocked by a special device at the end of the show.

Ticketholders will be required to take their unusable phones to their seat and hold them throughout the show.

Afterwards, they will line up to have the pouch unlocked at an unlocking station before leaving the venue.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

People will also need to print physical copies of their tickets to gain entry because digital ticketing won't be available, Ticketek warned.

Someone who bought tickets for Rock's show at Sydney's Aware Super Theatre expressed concern over the strict rule in a post to Reddit on Thursday.

"Just got tickets to see Chris Rock, terms on the tickets say all phones and smart watches will be secured and you'll be ejected if caught using them," they wrote.

"I'd kind of like to be able to be reached by the person watching the kids, what the f*** is with this?"

Discover more

Entertainment

What's the deal with Seinfeld's water bottle?

03 Aug 07:00 AM
Entertainment

'Punched in the face': Chris Rock reacts to Will Smith's apology

31 Jul 03:07 AM
Entertainment

Why was Batgirl killed? Inside Hollywood's shocking $145m folly

04 Aug 12:00 AM

The ticketholder's concern was addressed by another Reddit user, who claimed the same system had been in place for other comedians, musicians and movie premieres.

"I've had to do it many times (comedians like Dave Chappelle, musicians like Jack White, film premieres). There's usually a designated place where you can get your phone unlocked and check it if required," they wrote.

The Ticketek event page states that guests "may access their phones at designated YONDR unlocking stations in the lobby" during the show if they need to.

Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars. Photo / AP
Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars. Photo / AP

"We appreciate your co-operation in creating a phone-free viewing experience," the page reads.

Rock made global headlines earlier this year after being slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars for making a bald joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia.

The comedian broke his silence last month during a performance alongside Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle at Madison Square Garden, according to ET Online.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Yeah, that sh*t hurt, motherf***er – but I shook that sh*t off and went to work the next day," he said.

After remaining mostly silent for months, the comedian-actor addressed getting smacked while headlining stand-up shows in New York and New Jersey, the New York Post reported.

"Anyone who says 'words hurt' has never been punched in the face," he said.

During the event, Hart brought a live goat onstage and introduced it as "Will Smith".

The comedian's Australian tour follows with a show in New Zealand this weekend. Spark arena has noted on its website his show will also be a phone-free event.

Rock is performing at Auckland Spark Arena on Sunday, August 7.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'A new exciting chapter': Major event moves to Wānaka

Entertainment

Lupita Nyong'o reveals decade-long battle with uterine fibroids

Entertainment

Taylor Swift's father undergoes major heart surgery for quintuple bypass


Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'A new exciting chapter': Major event moves to Wānaka
Entertainment

'A new exciting chapter': Major event moves to Wānaka

A new purpose-built outdoor arena will open in Wānaka in time for the concert.

16 Jul 11:47 PM
Lupita Nyong'o reveals decade-long battle with uterine fibroids
Entertainment

Lupita Nyong'o reveals decade-long battle with uterine fibroids

16 Jul 11:10 PM
Taylor Swift's father undergoes major heart surgery for quintuple bypass
Entertainment

Taylor Swift's father undergoes major heart surgery for quintuple bypass

16 Jul 10:58 PM


Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

01 Jul 04:58 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP