I never really watched the show, but I can agree with you. A couple of skits I
saw weren't offensive in terms of racial(racist) content, but they were in bad
taste in terms of being crude. There was one, for example, where Chappelle
portrayed some kind of giant creature battling a volcano. Once he put out the
flame, he used the cone for personal gratification. The site of him gyrating on
a volcano was stupid, not funny, and veered into Wayans' kind of crude graphic
humour. It wasn't so much I found the skit offensive as unworthy of his
talents. It of course produced lots of easy guffaws from the audience, but it
didn't exactly tax his great ability. I think many of the better comedians who
come from a place of social consciousness struggle with that line. I know Pryor
did, in terms of using "nigger" for so many years.
More power to Chappelle for at least asking the questions. Would that we all
were so introspective in our daily lives...
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Martin Pratt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
That says something to me, about how deeply Chappelle must have been bound to
his art, for him to be able to slide that deep into his roles and take this
long to come to terms with the realization that he had blurred more than a few
lines.
"Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
------- Original Message --------
Subject: Dave Chappelle.... next "great black leader"???
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 06:16:21 -0400
From: C V <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: GIRLFRIEND <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
COLUMNIST CINDY ADAMS EXPLAINS CHAPPELLE DRAMA: Writer says comic bolted
from Comedy Central series due to guilt.
(August 7, 2006)
*New York Post columnist Cindy Adams says that Dave Chappelle's sudden
exit from his Comedy Central series was rooted in guilt over the show's
provocative skits, some of which featured race-related material that he felt
may have stepped out of satire and into unintentional coonery.
George Richardson, a 70-year-old retiree that was New Jersey's only
black member of the state legislature when elected in 1961, tells Adams he
befriended Chappelle when the comic was attempting to steer the hip hop
community into a positive direction.
According to Richardson, Chappelle began moderating roundtable
discussions about the issue, and had even made plans to record a benefit
single with proceeds going toward disadvantaged youth. People like Kanye
West, Wyclef Jean, Doug E. Fresh, Erykah Badu, Russell Simmons, Diddy and
Mos Def had reportedly lent support to the ideas.
According to Adams, the comedian began to sense that some of his
"Chappelle's Show" skits were not in line with helping the black community.
Adams writes: "His posse kept reinforcing how great he was, but one day he
noticed a white guy laughing at him. Not with him. At him. Chappelle
suddenly started saying things like, 'I have to find out am I dancing or
shuffling.'"
"On his very last TV show, he played blackface. With a red suit and
white lips," Richardson said to Adams. "That's when it absolutely clicked in
what he was doing. That's when he realized he was 'shuffling.' That's when
he walked away from the show. That's when he split for Africa.
"He almost had a breakdown. He felt he couldn't trust his lawyers,
agents, managers, producers, all the people who were loving what he was
doing. It dawned on him that, if they're telling me what I'm doing is great,
and I know what I'm doing is bad, then I can't trust anybody anymore.
"He's running away. Sticking to his farm in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Staying hidden from people. He's avoiding all those who were around him.
Nobody walks away from Comedy Central and $55 million. What this man did is
a profile in courage. He could become a truly great black leader.
"The TV people are saying things like: 'We know he's got to get
himself together.' There's nothing wrong with Dave Chappelle. He is
together. That's the message we want to get to him. You are together. And we
love you. And support you. And God bless you. And we're here for you."
"Excuse me while I whip this out."
Cleavon Little , "Blazing Saddles"
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