Post XI - Chappelle's Show

I haven't written in such a long while I forgot I had a voice. Busy life, busy living. University, work, and even more lessons on top of all that, I have really made my days full and a lot of times even 'overfilling'. This is not an excuse though I suppose, because if you have a voice, you must speak. If you have something to say you must not keep it for yourself, and this is my belief.

Wait a second! A man who has something to say? A man who must talk, this quote alone brings a person in mind. A person who had something to say, a person who filmed a show so great, so silly, so fun, and yet a show with so many things to say and touch upon, that it was cut-short. I speak for no other man, and for no other show, than Dave Chappelle and the Chappelle's Show.

Dave Chappelle is undoubtedly one of the finest talents in Stand up and Comedy in general. Capable, in my personal opinion, to compete with even the talent that is Richard Pryor. Of course the reason I made the choice to put Dave Chappelle next to Richard Pryor is because they did have a similar 'touching point' in their comedy, and that was the Black culture, the people, and the way they were treated by other races, mainly the white.

Both comedians had an excellent view of seeing the subject that can be considered controversial even to this day, as racism is a word that even alone can still forge arguments between individuals. What made Richard Pryor, and of course, Dave Chappelle so great, was the intelligence with which they would touch upon this point and subject, although today we are focusing mainly on Dave Chappelle's approach.

Why is that? Because Richard Pryor was a FANTASTIC talent, a brilliant comedian who made history on the genre, and he will always be one of my favorite talents on the field. Even so, Richard Pryor had a great way to approach the subject of racism against the Black community, but it is Dave Chappelle's vision of how he sees the issues of racism, and the intelligence he puts into touching those issues, that made me fall in love with both his style and show.

A lot of you will disagree with my decision of believing Dave Chappelle did a better job than Richard Pryor in this specific field, but this is my opinion, and I stand by it.

Now... Let's start the show.

"WHAT?"

Chappelle's Show ran for two seasons, and was concluded by a third season consisting of three episodes titled "The Lost Episodes" which although feature Dave Chappelle in the sketches, the episodes themselves are presented by Charlie Murphy(Eddie Murphy's brother and fellow comedian) and Donnell Rawlings.

The story goes that Dave Chappelle was unhappy with the way the media and producers, and people in the show business in general treated him, therefore he took his leave. If you watch the very last sketch of the show you will get a better idea of what I am speaking of. 

The show itself was simply stunning, with sketches that will make you laugh so hard you will get a hernia(at least that is what Charlie Sheen claims). With humor that at first you might consider silly and random, but the more you dwell into it, the more you realize how much thought has been put into their entire creation. The sketches were silly when they where meant to be, but with serious arguments and points throughout specifically written and shot in a way, that in the end, made the final work coordinated to near perfection.

Of course Dave Chappelle was aware of when the show was meant to be silly, and you can see this for yourselves in one of the shows many brilliant moments, when he replies to an actual newspapers article accusing him of having an immature sense of humor full of shit jokes, by getting a group of ballad singers and singing a song by the title "Diarrhea". What is the outcome? A crowd of people in the studio laughing their asses of and you at home laughing like a little child, while listening to a song about diarrhea. And this is true comedy, picking anything and making something out of it. 

"Oil, what is this oil shit bitch, you cooking?

Dave Chappelle in many of his sketches, touched the point of racism and how Black community in general is seen and treated in a humorous approach without offending anyone, but of course, some did get offended. 

Maybe because they are over-protective or absolute babies? Who knows, but a minority of people did disagree with his approach, and most bizarre must be the fact that Dave Chappelle got offended with himself! This is absolutely true, as it is known that Dave Chappelle himself said that he started feeling like he was more than anything boosting the racism and racist stereotypes he was against of. 

The show is hilarious, with sketches that will stick with you for a long while, if not forever. They are just that good, and I am saying this with no over-exaggeration whatsoever. Specifically about the sketches I must not forget to mention, as Doug Walker(most known for playing the Nostalgia Critic in That Guy with the Glasses) pointed, an amazing aspect of all those sketches is the editing work. Every single sketch cuts at the perfect moment, not a moment later or sooner, just there where it's meant to, making every single sketch all that funnier.

Dave Chappelle playing a white News Spokesman

In conclusion, the show that managed to define Dave Chappelle's enormous and unbeatable talent, and the show that as it seems, ended his career. Isn't that alone proof of the shows greatness? A show that was so good it ended up being controversial? They say good things never end well, might that quote be the proof of how good the Chappelle's show was?

Proof of how good the Chappelle sh.... What am I saying. There is no need for proof. 

A stunning work, a hilarious tour, and a sad but brilliant conclusion to a true talent's career.

THE END