But for some reason, out of all of the topics, the one that made him public enemy #1 was the jokes he made about Trans people and the LGTBQ community. Which, as we now know, is top of the list of things comedians cannot make fun of. Which was proven by all of the sanctimonious (yet hilarious) bitching from sites like Vice, Buzzfeed, Salon, and several other random outlets churning out clickbait.
Everything has been said about Chappelle in the days to follow Sticks and Stones. He’s been called everything from homophobic to transphobic to victim blamer to Satan in the flesh. Articles claiming he’s a millionaire who’s out of touch. He’s been accused of “punching down” and being mean spirited. LGTBQ groups have called on Netflix to remove his specials from their platform, and threatened boycotts. But the thing I found most amusing about the backlash is, the revisionist history of questioning whether or not Chappelle was ever really funny. As if, all of sudden, years of laughing at Chappelle’s comedy, there’s now a question of his talent? Are you f*****g kidding me?
But, this is why the “outrage” is problematic for me…
As a 45 year-old Black man in this country, personally I’ve heard so many comedians over my time on this orb (Chappelle included) make Black folks the punchline of their jokes. And guess what? It was never a problem… not even by the most progressive of progressives. So when I hear that there is a “protected class” of people that we can’t poke fun at, the hairs on my neck stand up, and the “hood” in me is unleashed. Dave made a point of this when, at one point in the special, he was recalling a time when he was called into the office of Comedy Central and was told he can’t, under any circumstances, use the word “faggot.” To which he agreed and didn’t fight it. But then asked why was it okay for him to say the word “n****r” regularly and with impunity but not okay to say “faggot.” He was told “Dave, because you’re not gay.” And he simply replied “Yeah but, I’m not a n****r either!”
"…In the end, the world of comedy will benefit from this!"
Great review. Agree 100% and then some.
GREAT show!!!!
Excellent review good sir. Comedy is meant to entertain. If it doesn’t, change the channel.
Excellent review of Dave Chappelle’s: Sticks and Stones. Thank you.
Good review, just goes to show that not everyone of a certain class acts and reacts the same to jokes, like the current ‘cancel culture’ is acting like. Nice to see someone take a stance for his individuality.
Great article! Thank u 👍🏻
Dante, your review was spot on! Personally, I believe when we can laugh at controversial subjects we tend to accept them more and for myself at 62, the trans community is unfamiliar territory, except for Caitlin Jenner. So if transgender is not treated as taboo in comedy, it will be normalized, like I guess it should be.
Amen!!!
How does it feel to be the only reviewer on rotten tomatoes that has a brain
Be prepared for a great show of shocking laughter. Nothing is off the table. It’s like old school comedy and I loved it.
The alphabet people got triggered.
Good.
Stop taking CHRISTIAN bakers to court for not making your GAY cake.
And demand that MUSLIM butchers make you PORK crackling.
Your double standards are poison and I for one can poke the LGBTAIDS left wing faggotry.
I’m sure he figures that if you can take a Dick then you can take a joke. Get over yourselves and stop being so sensitive. Not everybody gets a trophy.
Don’t you think it’s a bit contradictory to say that “all of the black community don’t care about n***a jokes?” And then use that to justify that then, all LGBTQ people should accept “homophobic jokes”. Especially since a good amount of colored folk also align with LGBTQ? I try not to get butthurt but the LGBTQ don’t simply accept being oppressed like black people do. Sexuality is still something the whole world needs to learn, and we aren’t doing anything helpful if we say that it’s okay to make these jokes often. People who commit hate speech have all the power given to them, and sooner or later, hate crimes will be fully accepted with that attitude. If it’s a choice between PC and no-PC at all, I choose PC. Because my children shouldn’t grow up in a place where poking fun at that kinda stuff is okay. Get your humor from other things. It’s not the only humor out there. Those jokes have some kind of truth, and say something about our narrative. We need to give power to those who lack it. Or is equality just not important?
Chill tf out it’s a comedy show not a hate speech from the feared Benito Mussolini people laugh at dark stuff to get rid of their fears if you can laugh at it then it doesn’t appear to be as scary
no1 cares about you or your kids opinion. Life isnt easy and if words really hurt you that much then you and your kids are in for a tough life.
Finally a review that’s actually worth reading and from someone who seems centered
“And depending on which way you swing on the social and political pendulum, you either think he’s a comical genius, or an ‘out-of-touch’ bigot.”
Wrong. Defining audience reaction based on their presumed political and social beliefs is as inappropriate as attempting to censure comics. I am an old-school leftie *and* a longtime Chappelle fan. Sticks and Stones is brilliant, and necessary in a world of political correctness run amok — which was its real target all along.
Dante, this is the first I’ve seen this site. I view critics as consumer affair reporters telling me when I’m getting ripped off, and when not when it comes to entertainment. This review proved to me, you’re on my side. Couldn’t agree more! I’m comin’ back.
Oh thank god. One critic that’s not butthurt. I was about to cancel Netflix before watching Dave’s special. It was hilarious.
I am counting on comedians to save our 1st amendment. The idea that we have returned to “you mustn’t say that in polite society” is ludicrous.
Thank you! I totally agree. I miss the kind of comedy shows,like Sticks and Stones,that used to be the norm. They may have offended some,but they were hilarious! I read where Seinfeld and others won’t do university tours anymore,and heaven knows those kids need to learn it’s ok to laugh at the pc movement. I hope more comedy like S&S comes out,but that’s just my opinion. I’m a 53 year old granny who says ” keep it comin’ Dave! “
As a gay man, I found the special hilarious. I think we are paying way too much attention to the voices of immature children, because lets face it, the loudest social media voices are young people who are either barely out of their teens or are still teenagers. I’m not saying they have nothing of value to add to the conversation but at that age you do tend to have a binary view of the world. Things are either right or wrong and there is no in between.
Finally a proper non bias review by a critic. Props for your bravery.
And unsurprisingly it’s written by a man lmao. All the negative reviews I’ve seen are from women and MtF’s
I loved the special! It was super funny! lighten up…Plus like he said if you don’t like it …don’t watch it! Haha
he is fighting for freedom of speech precisely by joking about forbidden (sometimes very recently forbidden, BTW) topics. the people who feel that his words injure them need to be aware that if the right to free speech is eroded in the ways they wish it were, they themselves would be among the first against the wall.
Legends never die
The main point in comedy is to be funny. No one really knows why we laugh or can predict with any accuracy what will make any individual laugh.
The only restriction on speak is that you can’t yell fire in a crowded theater. If the speaker makes you laugh (truly laugh) she is probably not encouraging you to hate or violence.
Comedy is never offensive if it makes you laugh. If it doesn’t make you laugh then you have an appropriate criticism. In comedy content is secondary to humor. Content is a matter of free speech. Do we still believe in that concept.
I’m a 73 year old, white lefty female and Chappelle made me laugh.
I agree, comedy is supposed to make you laugh, but the choice of who or what to expend for it is yours. I don’t think it’s right to expend a group that has just got it’s footing.
if you don’t find chappelle’s comedy funny, you’re a boring f*****g person and god help your friends and family for putting up with you
This political correctness it’s becoming nonsense!!! Comedians talk about everything and if one does not like that certain jokes then go to the comedian one prefers!!! Tough for these little groups here and there who are offended, grow skin and get used to it!!!! “GO Dave Chappelle GO”