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Mahoganyanais
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mahoganyanais
Post Number: 477
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 06:04 pm: | 
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/19/AR2005051901531. html
A Break From the Third Rail
By Eugene Robinson
Post
Friday, May 20, 2005; A21
Why would comedian Dave Chappelle run away from mega-fame and
mega-fortune to seek anonymity on an Indian Ocean beach, about as far
from Hollywood as he could get? It's really not so hard to imagine.
The genius that makes Chappelle the hottest comic in the country is
being able to grab the electric third rail of American life and
transmit its energy in a way that makes people laugh. Do that long
enough and one of two things happens: You let go, or you get burned.
The third rail, of course, is race. We laugh so hard at racial humor
because it's dangerous, naked and forbidden, almost like pornography.
But the thin line between hilarious and offensive can shift without
warning. A joke that kills today might get you punched tomorrow.
Great glory comes to the comic who's able to dance closest to the
line. Richard Pryor worked that neighborhood once, as did Eddie
Murphy, as did Chris Rock. Those funny men never stopped being funny
but did become less dangerous over time; their own daring moved the
line, and their jokes began to fall too comfortably within the newly
enlarged safety zone. Rule of thumb: If they let you host the Oscars,
you're no longer on the edge.
"Chappelle's Show" is one of Comedy Central's top-rated shows; a
compilation of the first season's episodes is the best-selling
television-series DVD in history, and the second-season DVD should be
even bigger. To keep him for a third season and beyond, Comedy Central
signed Chappelle to a contract that would pay him up to $50 million --
not bad for basically acting a fool.
But just as he was finishing a batch of third-season shows, Chappelle
vanished. There were rumors of drugs or a breakdown, but a Time
magazine writer tracked him down in remote Durban, South Africa, of
all places, where he was clearing his head with a friend and sometime
spiritual adviser.
Chappelle manages to say things about race that the rest of us
wouldn't dare think , much less let pass our lips. Take his use of the
word considered the ultimate racial slur, the word beginning with "n."
It's hard to find a black comic younger than Bill Cosby who doesn't
season his monologues liberally with that word, but Chappelle doesn't
sprinkle, he pours. One of his sketches, for example, was about a
white family whose surname was That Word. Mom, Dad and the kids spoke
to and about one another in phrases -- "He's a little (That Word), all
right!" -- that otherwise would prompt a lawsuit or a beat-down.
It was fall-off-the-chair funny, but afterward you didn't want to
think too much about why you had laughed so hard. Same with a sketch
that imagined blacks getting reparation checks for slavery, then
running out to splurge in liquor stores and Cadillac dealerships. A
lot of Chappelle's humor is like that, confronting racial stereotypes
so literally that the effect is startling, outrageous and more than a
little unsettling.
According to Time, Chappelle became unsure about his material for the
new season when a white visitor at a taping laughed especially hard
and long over a sketch Chappelle performed in blackface. "When he
laughed, it made me uncomfortable," Time quotes Chappelle as saying.
His longtime writing partner is quoted as confirming that Chappelle
had decided some of his material was not funny but "racist."
For me, this context makes Chappelle's flight from a $50 million
payday so much more understandable.
It's one thing for a black comic to perform racially charged material
that delights black audiences. A black audience takes it as pure
satire or a kind of inside-the-family ribbing; slurs and stereotypes
have no power as weapons of mass distortion. But how can you be sure
that a white audience doesn't take the jokes as "proof" of ugly,
buried, unacknowledged assumptions?
Maybe you shouldn't care. Maybe you just decide that intent is the
important thing. You know what you meant by the joke, and people are
rolling in the aisles. Who cares why they're laughing?
But if you're as thoughtful as Dave Chappelle, and you're serious
about your conversion to Islam and you stop to ask the question, then
maybe you have no choice. If you doubt the impact of your humor -- or
worse, your own intent -- then maybe it's not a bad idea to take a
break.
I'll be happy if Chappelle comes back soon to resume making me laugh
till I cry. But I understand if he feels burned; I understand if, for
a while, he needs to let go.
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Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 984
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 06:43 pm: |
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"EVERYTHING"....that black men do today is "Proof" of what the White man has always said.
That's what I try to tell these men, but they aren't hearing it.
I'm too "black" for them to hear me...and you can't tell a Black man Anything, because his whole situation is the "White Man's" fault. White man this, white man that.
Yeah. Maybe he oughta REALLY pay some attention while he's over in Africa so he can see just where the FAULTS are.
Selfish Black men.
It's a minstrel show---but I admitt, it is funny.
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Libralind2
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 88
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 08:35 am: |
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Im picking up his second season soon as I find it..LOL I laughed too hard when he was a blind KKK who didnt know he was black. LAWD LOL
LiLi |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2901
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 08:53 am: |
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LiLi,
HAHA! Yeah. That one was a RIOT, too.
Chapelle's to talented to let himself get beatdown like this.
His @$$ need to get the hell "Out of Africa", get back on his J.O.B. and finish up doing what HE wants to do with his art.
Then, if the network exec's BS'em, at least he's fulfilled his end of the deal and can demand to get paid and/or move on elsewhere. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 1145
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 11:00 am: |
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I for one find his profession of Islam and brand of comedy rather incongruous.
Then again, the very term Islamic comedian seems an oxymoron, but this weekend in St. Louis three of them are putting on a comedy show here in St. Louis.
I am not going--I have a rather eclectic sense of humor and find most of what America laughs at dull--but I am curious about what kind of routines they would put on. |
Cynnique
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 12:45 pm: |
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Just heard that Chappelle is married to a Filipino woman. No wonder he couldn't cut it. Ain't no way in the world, a sista would've let this wimp default on a 50-million dollar contract. She would've told him to suck it in, and beat the white man at his own game; which is to say he should've faked it. All he had to do was to come up with a series of variations on the old standby black comedic premise of showing how the white man would handle a situation, and then how a brotha would handle it. Dave, Dave, Dave, you clueless little twit. You must be related to the pregnant Catholic teen-ager. All you can do now is go somewhere and face the east and think about all those good ol greasy pork ribs you gonna miss on Memorial Day. Shalaam A Lecham. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2910
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 12:56 pm: |
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Cynique,
HAHA!
My wife shares you views about how Chappelle Filipino wife have contributed to his recent troubles.
With a $50M payday on the line, if his wife were a sistah, either his @$$ would have been back to work by now...or one of them would be dead. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2911
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 12:59 pm: |
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Chris,
I too question how his religion will jive with his work.
But the Jews are amongst the best comedians. Yet they seems to retain fidelity for their faith.
Maybe it's time that he...and ISLAM...evolve a bit. |
Mahoganyanais
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mahoganyanais
Post Number: 481
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 08:59 pm: |
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A college buddy of mine is an entertainment lawyer and agent, and on behalf of all of our mothers and grandmothers who worked as domestics for pittance, he's outraged. He quipped, "If Dave were my client, he would be back at work YESTERDAY because South Africa ain't big enough that I couldn't find him." |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 2920
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 10:31 am: |
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Mah,
No offense to your friend. But I know MORE than my fair (and desired) share of entertainment lawyers/agents. Believe me, THEY are amongst the very LAST category of foks who qualify to effectively compel Chapelle to adjourn from his South African sabbatical via righteously citing the drudgery endured by our foremothers. If anything, word from them might make Dave abandon comedy altogether. |
Anonymous
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - 11:10 pm: |
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CYNNIQUE.. What does having a Filipino wife have to do with anything. Your ignorant comments obviously have no validity. |
Cynnique
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:37 am: |
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My comment was self-explanatory. It's a "sista" thang. You're pretty ignorant, yourself, if you didn't get my drift. And am I to assume that your disapproval of my remark gives you validity??? |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 1231
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:47 am: |
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I agree with Cynique.
A "sista" would not have let him fall apart, wimp out and retreat----and that's really all she said.
God already KNOWS why a Filipino woman would marry a man like Dave Chappelle in the first place----and there's a certain silly SILENT HEAD NOD that goes with what is expected of her. Wesley Snipes and so many others have said as much in MAGAZINES...and white men used to say it, too.
Dave needed a sweet wife with some backbone, common sense and motherwit---and those are hard to find outside the BLACK community.
His previous girlfriend, the redbone from PHILLY that was so good to him before he got rich.
He should have stuck with her. But unfortunately, big lips and nappy hair, even on a pretty redbone, don't impress THE BOYS. So now he's assed out of a greasy rib, as Cynique put it.
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Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 1232
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:49 am: |
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Incidentally, that's one of the reasons I don't like Dave Chappelle.
I don't "DISLIKE HIM"----but I don't like him, because all I feel is.......SORRY FOR him. And always have.
I don't like rich black men that I feel sorry for.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 3143
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 01:05 am: |
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Funny. Every Black woman I know say what you ladies say. "He shunnah married that filipina cause if he had married a sistah, she wouldnah let him get in this mess." |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 1233
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 01:12 am: |
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Well what do you expect us to say, ABM?
We're no different than you Black men talking about---"That Filipino cain't fuck ya like I can"----while grabbing your crotch.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 3145
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 01:16 am: |
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Haha!
I gottah be honest: I've NEVER considered a filipino dude to be my worthy adversary for the affections of a Black women. |
Mahoganyanais
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mahoganyanais
Post Number: 525
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 10:38 am: |
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Kola, who was Dave's previous girlfriend, the one from Philly? Is she in the biz too? |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 1234
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:03 pm: |
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Hi Mahogany.
No, Dave's Philly girlfriend was in college, I THINK to be a doctor.
Very similar to Kobe Bryant's black Philly girlfriend that he dumped. Only Dave's "red sista" was blacker looking with nappy hair and was VERY, VERY pretty.
Everyone thought they were SO in love.
Just like Kobe's ex, Dave's ex found out she was dumped THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 3150
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:16 pm: |
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Kola: "Just like Kobe's ex, Dave's ex found out she was dumped THROUGH MEDIA REPORTS."
ABM: That's probably because Dave/Kobe wanted to give themselves enough time/space to posse-up security details so they could avoid one of those sistahgurl-been-done-wrong payback @$$kickin's Lionel Richie got when he got caught in a hotel doubledealing with his White hoochie. The brothahs learned A LOT about what NOT to do in THAT kinda situation from the ex-Commodore. |
Kola
Moderator
Username: Kola
Post Number: 1238
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:20 pm: |
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Yeah, well, the "Brothas" aint shit. They especially aint nobody's damned Brother.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 3152
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 12:38 pm: |
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Kola,
Well, My Dear, nobody said they 'are' "$#*+". Just explaining their sistah dumpin' modus operandi.
Remember: Kill the message, not the messenger! |
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