Television Netflix announces 3 new Dave Chappelle comedy specials

JPRouve

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No, I don't disagree with that at all, but I both don't see any indication that she's doing that generally and I don't see how she clearly got it wrong here specifically. You can be disgusted by Chappelle calling himself transphobic even if he is calling himself that for comedic effect, and I think taking him seriously when he places himself on team terf is reasonable.
To me that's missing the point and the context. He was particularly called transphobic after making a joke about Caitlyn Jenner and Sports Illustrated, he answered to it in Equanimity by doing two things, clearly state that he was in support of the transgender community when it comes to their happiness and choices even if he personally don't fully understand and he also doubled down on his joke because that's what he does for everyone. Transactivists also doubled down on calling him transphobic which was only going to end in one way, The Closer.
 

Berbaclass

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If he can’t make jokes without offending the trans community then it seems to me he is running out of material.
That's not the case at all, this is specifically a response to the criticisms he's received about his previous trans jokes.
 

NotThatSoph

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You don't need to be offended to think his social commentary (which is what his stand-up partly consists of) is off-base and frankly ignorant on this issue. And for some reason he has kept returning to it over and over again across multiple specials.

If social commentary forms as much of a part of a comedian's stand-up as it does with Chappele's, he will naturally be judged on the basis of that social commentary as well as how funny it is. Just as he was praised for the 8.46 special (which wasn't exactly a laugh-riot) on exactly those terms. He didn't get his current status by cultivating a reputation as someone who only exists to make mindless, meaningless routines that should never be thought about or commented on.

Plus, as a few people have said already, trans material and cancel-culture material is so prevalent among stand-ups now that it has become hack. And in the middle of a special that isn't exactly hitting the heights of his previous work, diving into hack subject matter with hack takes is worth commenting on even just as criticism of it as stand-up.

And then there's also a terrible stink of privilege off a rich, high-status comedian suggesting other rich, high-status comedians are being "punched down on". Kevin Hart not hosting the Oscars is not a problem, at all. There's a bit in 30 Rock where the Tracy Jordan character does stand-up about how people eat their lobsters and that's what I will now picture when I hear millionaire comedians talk about how tough it is for millionaire comedians.
I've never really understood this seemingly newfound need people have of calling other people offended, or asking why they're offended if they have a certain opinion.

Is Chappelle offended by the reactions? Are the people in this thread who defend him offended? Or do they just disagree with the criticism, maybe they think it's wrong/stupid/misplaced? It's so weird.
 

Berbaclass

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but why target a minority community in the first place? just seems unnecessary. Especially when trans people have pointed out he is wrong on the issue.
I don't think he is targeting the trans community specifically. He is more likely targeting the people who tell him he can't tell jokes about them. Of course, this is Chappelle so he did exactly what you'd expect him to do in the scenario. Tell more jokes and try to offend more people.

Like it has been previously said, in Equaminity he made a few jokes about the trans people and got some criticism. He responded in his next special by saying he supports the trans community and a person's right to be happy, or something along those lines. Nobody listened to him, they were more interested in trying to 'cancel' him so he has doubled down and probably ended it there.
 

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I don't think he is targeting the trans community specifically. He is more likely targeting the people who tell him he can't tell jokes about them. Of course, this is Chappelle so he did exactly what you'd expect him to do in the scenario. Tell more jokes and try to offend more people.

Like it has been previously said, in Equaminity he made a few jokes about the trans people and got some criticism. He responded in his next special by saying he supports the trans community and a person's right to be happy, or something along those lines. Nobody listened to him, they were more interested in trying to 'cancel' him so he has doubled down and probably ended it there.
Offensive or not it's massively boring at this stage and these guys should use media platforms to take out this stuff and do something actually funny for stand ups.
 

entropy

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Where's my arc, Paulie?
I don't think he is targeting the trans community specifically. He is more likely targeting the people who tell him he can't tell jokes about them. Of course, this is Chappelle so he did exactly what you'd expect him to do in the scenario. Tell more jokes and try to offend more people.

Like it has been previously said, in Equaminity he made a few jokes about the trans people and got some criticism. He responded in his next special by saying he supports the trans community and a person's right to be happy, or something along those lines. Nobody listened to him, they were more interested in trying to 'cancel' him so he has doubled down and probably ended it there.
I mean it is trans people whom he is addressing with this type of content. Because it is them who had to point out how wrong he is on the issue.
 

Berbaclass

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I mean it is trans people whom he is addressing with this type of content. Because it is them who have pointed out how wrong he is on the issue.
Because of the hypersensitivity surrounding them and the community. He knows exactly what he is doing.
 

entropy

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Because of the hypersensitivity surrounding them and the community. He knows exactly what he is doing.
Yeah, he does. And it is annoying to see people still insist on how ‘funny’ the whole thing is. Yeah, no shit. cis people have been making fun of trans people since forever. It isn’t new or groundbreaking material for a comedian. What’s new is trans people not being ok with being the subject. The slightest of pushback and results in an uproar about cancel culture.
 

Berbaclass

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Listen to everything I ever said about that community:

I said “How much do have to participate in your self image?”

I said “You shouldn’t discuss this in front of black people”

I said “I know n****s in Brooklyn that wear high heels just to feel safe”

I asked you why it was easier for Bruce Jenner to change his gender than it is for Cassius Clay to change his name

If you listen to what I’m saying I’m not even talking about them I’m taking about us and they don’t listen.
 

JPRouve

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Offensive or not it's massively boring at this stage and these guys should use media platforms to take out this stuff and do something actually funny for stand ups.
It's definitely childish. For me the main issue with this special is that there was no new material which makes the uproar even more ridiculous.
 

Berbaclass

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Yeah, he does. And it is annoying to see people still insist on how ‘funny’ the whole thing is. Yeah, no shit. cis people have been making fun of trans people since forever. It isn’t new or groundbreaking material for a comedian. What’s new is trans people not being ok with being the subject. The slightest of pushback and results in an uproar about cancel culture.
I don't think it's particularly funny personally. I'm a fan of Dave and I'd rather he didn't go over the same stuff for like 3 specials. I appreciate that he's trying to make a point by doing it though.
 

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Watched it thought it was pretty good. Could it come accross as offensive? Yes it can, but you might aswell ban all stand up comedy then.
You know, except for all the stand-up comedy that doesn't shit on marginalised groups.
*Chapelle quotes*
That's one of the problems with it: He seemingly completely ignores that there are non-wite trans people. It's very "us vs them".
 

entropy

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Where's my arc, Paulie?
I don't think it's particularly funny personally. I'm a fan of Dave and I'd rather he didn't go over the same stuff for like 3 specials. I appreciate that he's trying to make a point by doing it though.
There are several ways to be allied with trans people. Whatever this is that Dave is doing ain’t one of them.
 

NotThatSoph

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You know, except for all the stand-up comedy that doesn't shit on marginalised groups.

That's one of the problems with it: He seemingly completely ignores that there are non-wite trans people. It's very "us vs them".
It's not like Jenner could've changed her name in the 60s, either. Now practically everyone acknowledges Ali, while a sizable portion either don't recognize Caitlyn or uses her new name while treating it as a delusion. So in addition to it not being funny, what's the point?
 

Berbaclass

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The family of a woman prominently mentioned by comedian Dave Chappelle in his new Netflix special, The Closer, has spoken out in his defense.

Chappelle is under fire for controversial comments he made about the trans community in The Closer.

In the special, Chappelle spoke about his friendship with Daphne Dorman, a trans woman and a fellow comedian from the San Francisco area. She died by suicide in 2019.

In a text message to the Daily Beast, Dorman’s sister, Becky, wrote, “Daphne was in awe of Dave’s graciousness. She did not find his jokes rude, crude, off-coloring, off-putting, anything. She thought his jokes were funny. Daphne understood humor and comedy—she was not offended. Why would her family be offended?”





Dorman’s younger sister, Brandy, agreed and called Chappelle an “LGBTQ ally.”
 

entropy

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Oh well. It was worth a punt. Proximity with a trans person doesn’t mean you can’t be transphobic or make stupid statements. It’s akin to saying, look pal I’ve got black friends alright! No way I can be racist!
 

Berbaclass

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Oh well. It was worth a punt. Proximity with a trans person doesn’t mean you can’t be transphobic or make stupid statements. It’s akin to saying, look pal I’ve got black friends alright! No way I can be racist!
I don't believe Dave is transphobic.

Telling jokes about trans people also doesn't make you transphobic.
 

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You know, except for all the stand-up comedy that doesn't shit on marginalised groups.
Black people, native Americans, Muslims, Chinese, Jews and countless other groups have the piss taken out of them in stand ups, DC didn't start it. Whether you think that should be off limits is a different argument.
 

Berbaclass

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I mean his material ain’t helping the cause. For several reasons as mentioned in the post I shared.
I disagree personally. If anything it brings the issues further to the forefront if possible. Getting people to talk and to discuss this is the start of improving things.
 

JPRouve

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Being an activists doesn't give your opinion more weight. Also we have transgender people saying the following:

 

entropy

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Where's my arc, Paulie?
So he speaks for the entire trans community. No that’s one person’s opinion.
I am more than happy to side with them. They do this for a living and know what they’re talking about. That’s just me though. If you’re unwilling to see the points they are making, then not much anyone can do to change your opinion.
 

Berbaclass

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I am more than happy to side with them. They do this for a living and know what they’re talking about. That’s just me though. If you’re unwilling to see the points they are making, then not much anyone can do to change your opinion.
There will be people in the community who side with Dave and against him. Who’s right?
 

entropy

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There will be people in the community who side with Dave and against him. Who’s right?
You’re looking at it from a spectator pov. I don’t think that is the right way to approach the issue. Dave getting paid millions to write such material while trans people struggle for the bare minimum aren’t the same things. At the end of the day, Dave doesn’t get to experience or witness any of the transphobia that trans people face on a daily basis. And to paint him as a saint doing trans people a massive favor just misses the point altogether.
 

Berbaclass

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You’re looking at it from a spectator pov. I don’t think that is the right way to approach the issue. Dave getting paid millions to write such material while trans people struggle for the bare minimum aren’t the same things.
Trans people (all people) deserve to be treated fairly and the same. Although that's not the world we live in that is what I believe.

Treating trans people fairly includes making fun of them, just like comedians make fun of everybody else. If you exclude them from that then you are giving them preferential treatment and are treating them (or everybody else) unfairly.
 

JPRouve

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Trans people (all people) deserve to be treated fairly and the same. Although that's not the world we live in that is what I believe.

Treating trans people fairly includes making fun of them, just like comedians make fun of everybody else. If you exclude them from that then you are giving them preferential treatment and are treating them (or everybody else) unfairly.
Not necessarily unfairly but definitely differently. Now to be fair I don't know why people think that transgenders have to be treated differently, maybe there is a good reason.
 

entropy

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Where's my arc, Paulie?
Trans people (all people) deserve to be treated fairly and the same. Although that's not the world we live in that is what I believe.

Treating trans people fairly includes making fun of them, just like comedians make fun of everybody else. If you exclude them from that then you are giving them preferential treatment and are treating them (or everybody else) unfairly.
Yeah, I don’t think this is “fair” or the right thing to do tbh. We’ll never agree on this. I don’t see why you absolutely feel the need to make fun of someone. It’s just weird af.
 

Berbaclass

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Yeah, I don’t think this is “fair” or the right thing to do tbh. We’ll never agree on this. I don’t see why you absolutely feel the need to make fun of someone. It’s just weird af.
If you are a comedian it's part of the job.
 

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Get the feeling Chappelle talking about trans issues is a way of padding out what is another poor special.