Before You Cancel Dave Chappelle, Here’s What You Need to Know
I wonder what it’s like to be Dave Chappelle right now.
You’ve spent years honing your craft, and you roar out onto the Detroit stage to deliver a pièce de résistance.
Two white women in the second row express their solidarity as loudly as they can. They’re here to buck the system, and they’ve even dressed for it. One has dyed her hair pastel pink. The other has teal hair, bold lipstick, and wears a glittery pussy-cat-ears headband. They cheer in support of the person they believe you to be, and in anticipation of feeling validated by what you’re about to say.
By the middle of your performance, you can see the naive expectation in their faces fading and turning to confusion. Confusion turns to disappointment, then rage.
Later, you get to watch the internet talk endlessly about how you’re not as progressive as people had a right to expect you to be, or even progressive at all.
If you’re Dave Chappelle, do you entertain remorse or doubt about what you said? Did this work that you envisioned as a masterpiece and a grand statement on social issues have an effect that was the complete opposite of what you intended?
“Is it possible a gay person can be racist? Do you really think so? Of course it’s possible! Look at…
