This week we continued talking about racial formation and its implications for media and digital content. Mainly we focused on Dave Chapelle and his controversial comedy. Dave Chapelle has always delivered “edgy” comedy that makes light of real issues in our society. The reception of his content is what has gotten him in hot water. Personally, I think Dave Chapelle is a talented comedian and I understand that some jokes land and some don’t. I don’t believe that he has malicious intent towards any groups he jokes about. However, I do recognize that some of his content can be offensive and, when played out of context, looks really bad. With that said, I think Chapelle is conscious of his brand as an “edgy” comedian and accepts that not everyone will enjoy his content. But that’s not the point. The point is, he’s creating a performance about what he feels is important or funny. Much of his content revolves around race and that comes with its own level of danger of misconception.
Before I go any further I think it’s important for me to talk about myself and the point of view I’m coming from. I’m a Chinese-American adoptee, raised in Kansas by two caucasian parents. Growing up I didn’t realize I was different from all of the other kids until I got older and understood that my past was not the norm for my peers. Regardless I was surrounded by the culture of the midwest and was shaped by it. I make the joke that I’m like a banana: yellow on the outside and white on the inside. I may look one way however, all of my developmental experiences turn me toward a culture that is very different. Essentially, I’ve learned to straddle the line between being racially Asian but culturally white. This has heavily influenced my view on race because I’ve learned firsthand that much of what we think is a characteristic of a race is actually the characteristic of a culture.
In Chapelle’s comedy special 8:46 he talks about the killing of George Floyd. As opposed to much of his other content where he is comedy forward, this special acted as a form of activism and emotional expression. He brings up the point that during the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing the last thing people need to see is a celebrity talk about issues that they so far displaced from. He understood that the movement taking place was for the people, and by the people. He knew that by bringing in the media conglomerates and celebrities that the true nature of the movement would be tarnished. He knew that he had said his piece about race and racial inequality and that it was time for the true victims to take back the power and make genuine change. He also adds that he believes that he displays the honest version of himself and like it or not he is who he is. Of course, some people won’t like him, but he’s alright with it because he knows that he isn’t trying to deceive his audience like many other institutions we inhabit.
Like Chapelle, I agree that the institutions that we are reliant on lie to us in order to push their agenda. Whether that be good or bad, we must be cognizant that we are influenced on the daily by what we watch and listen to. Chapelle goes on to tell a story about a man named Chris Dorner. Dorner was a former cop and military veteran who was unjustly fired from the L.A. PD for speaking out against police brutality. He retaliated by writing a manifesto and mentioning Chapelle by name and calling him a genius. He proceeded to wage war on the L.A. PD and took three lives. Now, this may not look great for Chapelle’s image, however, I think this explains why Chapelle is seen as so controversial. He speaks the truth about his experience as a black man in America. He talks about the reality of race in our society as it stands today and uses comedy as a delivery method. In relation to racial formation theory, Chapelle understands the reality of race and his comedy reflects that. He doesn’t pull punches and will make jokes about race and minority communities because he sees the racial lines we’ve created and the stereotypes we’ve perpetuated. He isn’t creating these disparities, only using what’s already there to create a performance.
Jahmal, Karlton. “Dave Chappelle's New Special Absolutely Nailed These Race & Social Issues.” BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, 13 Oct. 2021, https://www.buzzfeed.com/karltonjahmal/dave-chappelle-nails-american-social-issues-the-closer
In truth, I would even say that Chappelle is a comedic genius in the sense that he uses it as a weapon to talk about social issues and problems, especially racial ones. And as you mention, he knows that what he says is going to create discrepancies and make people upset, but that's the idea, to make people uncomfortable so they can reflect on it. Thanks for bringing and sharing your personal story and great work, Keelan!