Doing standup while black: Dave Chappelle's new special

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Has anyone else seen Dave Chapelle's new standup special The Closer? As many of you probably have heard, he caused a kerfuffle by making several jokes about transgenders in the special. He was attacked by twitter, members of the media, and now some Netflix employees are threatening a walkout.

I saw the special recently, and he joked about asians, white people, women, and other groups as much as he did about transgender; but it seems to be the hot button issue these days. I think the outrage has less to do with the contents of the show, and much more to do with the fact that he decided to joke about trans issues at all.

Has anyone else seen it? What did you think?

 

[Thermal]

Haven't seen this one, but Chappelle in general hits all the isms pretty squarely sooner or later in his skits. He's getting blasted for just one in particular now? Was it over the top compared to his usual routine?

 

[Myriad]

Rotten Tomatoes scores: critics 43%, audience 96%

It looks like he's reaching and entertaining his audience, and the critics are basing their opinions on class politics rather than craft, as usual.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Haven't seen this one, but Chappelle in general hits all the isms pretty squarely sooner or later in his skits. He's getting blasted for just one in particular now? Was it over the top compared to his usual routine?

Not at all, imo. Especially the parts about transgender issues. The whole second half turns into more of a story/lecture/spoken word performance instead of joke telling. I'm wondering if this is what is referred to by the title The Closer, as in the story being the closer to his act. I'm hesitant to say too much more out of fear of spoilers.

The fact that he said so little that really seemed offensive in regards to trans issues and is getting so much blowback from the various mobs is precisely what I find so interesting. Although I can't say I wouldn't have expected it. Testing the boundaries with trans is one of the worst versions of wrongspeak today.

 

[d4m10n]

Rotten Tomatoes scores: critics 43%, audience 96%

This will henceforth be known as the Chappelle Ratio. [emoji14]

On point: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/when-we-argue-about-dave-chappelle

 

[eerok]

Dave Chappelle says the N-word, so he should be canceled.

Just kidding. I love Dave Chappelle. I hope he continues to dig irreverently at human foibles for years to come.

 

[lionking]

I just watched it. Hilarious. He offends pretty much everyone.

He’s a ******* comedian.

Anyway he is laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[lionking]

And if anyone who watches the whole show and thinks he’s transphobic is an idiot.

 

[angrysoba]

Not seen it, but if, as the OP suggests, that he gets more heat for this because he is black and not white, then, well... I can't say I am surprised.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Not seen it, but if, as the OP suggests, that he gets more heat for this because he is black and not white, then, well... I can't say I am surprised.

Oh, I totally didn't mean to suggest that. I can see how it might appear that way, but I was just riffing on the ISF "while black' theme when choosing the thread title. If anything, I would suspect that Chapelle gets less heat for his trans jokes because he is black.

 

[lionking]

Oh, I totally didn't mean to suggest that. I can see how it might appear that way, but I was just riffing on the ISF "while black' theme when choosing the thread title. If anything, I would suspect that Chapelle gets less heat for his trans jokes because he is black.

Agreed.

But what people are missing I think is that he can make trans jokes (his job) without being transphobic.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

But what people are missing I think is that he can make trans jokes (his job) without being transphobic.

Absolutely. On a similar note, I don't think he's racist because of the jokes he made about white people and asians, and I don't think he's a misogynist for the jokes he made about women.

 

[Myriad]

This will henceforth be known as the Chappelle Ratio. [emoji14]

On point: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/when-we-argue-about-dave-chappelle

Yeah, a good article. When corporate managers discipline a Black employee for recounting the slurs used against him in the same words, it becomes obvious that their interest is more about asserting their control than about protecting the oppressed. "Wokeism is elitism" is an oversimplification—not always, not entirely—but that's how it usually comes across.

 

[Darat]

Yeah, a good article. When corporate managers discipline a Black employee for recounting the slurs used against him in the same words, it becomes obvious that their interest is more about asserting their control than about protecting the oppressed. "Wokeism is elitism" is an oversimplification—not always, not entirely—but that's how it usually comes across.

I'd like to know what "his first ginger steps back into standup" means - "ginger steps"???

 

[bluesjnr]

I'd like to know what "his first ginger steps back into standup" means - "ginger steps"???

Without doubt, a serious, mangled attempt to use, "gingerly".

Should have read;

"as that comedian, gingerly, takes his first steps back into standup"

 

[eerok]

Although if Dave revealed he is actually a ginger, that could be a special in itself.

 

[angrysoba]

Although if Dave revealed he is actually a ginger, that could be a special in itself.

Maybe Bill Burr could reveal he is actually black and then the two of them could do a back to back double special called Transracial.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Without doubt, a serious, mangled attempt to use, "gingerly".

Should have read;

"as that comedian, gingerly, takes his first steps back into standup"

I read it through the first time as taking tentative or caution steps back into standup. But when I consulted a dictionary after seeing Darat's question, I see that only the word "gingerly" appears, not "ginger" with this particular use.

 

[bluesjnr]

I read it through the first time as taking tentative or caution steps back into standup. But when I consulted a dictionary after seeing Darat's question, I see that only the word "gingerly" appears, not "ginger" with this particular use.

We were all there when the word "ginger" became the past tense form of "gingerly".

I'm absolutely ecstaticated to have witnessed this.

 

[angrysoba]

Oh, I totally didn't mean to suggest that. I can see how it might appear that way, but I was just riffing on the ISF "while black' theme when choosing the thread title. If anything, I would suspect that Chapelle gets less heat for his trans jokes because he is black.

Well, I watched it and part of what he was saying pretty much WAS that other minority groups have blown past black people on their way to getting support and recognition, from gay people to trans people. For example, he points about that it’s barely a crime to shoot a black person dead but your career will be destroyed for some homophobic remarks.

Anyway, it was okay. Quite funny in places and also rather sermonizing in places. As with many comedians who have a “serious point”, there’s a bit of wanting it both ways. They want to have their opinions taken seriously but retreat to the old “I’m only joking! I’’m a comedian!” When people take it seriously in a way they don’t like. You can’t have it both ways.