Media & ArtsI finally watched Dave Chappelle’s *The Closer*. Here are my takeaways.

submitted by julesburm1891 from (self.LGBDropTheT)

I wouldn’t call it a comedy special. Instead of being a witty routine with some vague sense of structure, it’s a wildly incoherent tangent of all Chappelle’s grievances with LGB people, women, Jews, trans people, and white people. All of the jokes sound exactly like a middle schooler saying something intentionally rude and adding “just kidding” at the end. Moreover, it wasn’t funny. My partner and I went in with an open mind and are hard to offend. Both of us only laughed once and noticed that the audience rarely laughed as well. (On the contrary, they sound uncomfortable for many of the sections.)

Salient points:

  1. There’s a long-winded story about Chappelle threatening to beat up a lesbian. Of course, he pretends she’s a man because she’s butch and proceeds to make fun of her for being GNC.
  2. He refers to feminists as “frumpy dykes.”
  3. He trots around the stage with limp wrists and an open mouth when he’s pretending to be a gay man.
  4. There is the whole thing where Chappelle claims we’re bullies for not liking actually homophobic speech. (The DaBaby debacle.)
  5. Somehow, LGB people not liking homophobia means we’re indifferent to murder.
  6. Chappelle very gleefully laughs about DaBaby being homophobic and said it punched LGB people “right in the AIDS.”
  7. For all the ruckus, Chappelle is actually the least hateful to trans people.
  8. He claims TERFs are “radical feminists that hate trans people.” (Figured that was relevant because we’ve all been called TERFs for being homo- or bisexual.)
  9. He has a bit about how he doesn’t want transwomen in the men’s room because that’s for women to deal with. (Tbh, that was just so weird I had to include it.)

You guys know I’m not here for SJW bullshit. That doesn’t mean I’m down with being legitimately hateful to any group of people on this planet. I absolutely believe Chappelle has the right to do whatever routine he wants. Netflix has the right to show whatever they choose. Everyone has the right to view and enjoy whatever they please. However, I also have the right to say that The Closer was homophobic bile from a man who’s lost his touch. Homophobia is homophobia, regardless if it comes from a straight man in a skirt or straight man in an ill-fitting leather jacket.

all 32 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]Rag3 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

It was overblown in terms of hype and quality. It was decent. I never take offense to that sort of black comedy style - it’s been in our community for a while. He had an intention to offend all groups of people who shouldn’t be touched today and displayed the hypocrisy of the TRAs since they’re only focusing on the short 5 minute segment about trans people while ignoring the story of Daphne or the rest of the jokes in the show that should offend not only the LGBTQ but also all racial groups. I think he did a good job at exposing the hypocrisy. He has been building up to this over 6 shows and it’s evident.

Dave is a comedian but he is also great at social commentary using a late 80s/90s style of commentary to do it.

[–]Rastafoo 1 insightful - 4 fun1 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 4 fun -  (1 child)

BLACK Comedy?

[–]Rag3 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

From wiki:

Black comedy, also known as black humor, dark humor, dark comedy, morbid humor, edgy humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss.

He peppers this style of comedy with slang that wasn’t popular in the mainstream until recently.

[–]szalinskikidproblematic androphile 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Yeah I've also just watched it two days ago and tend to agree with your review. Till then I've only ever seen the infamous 5 minutes about JK Rowling and I did enjoy its effects on TRAs and the fact that he's putting himself out there in solidarity with her. Even though it was quite apparent that he doesn't reeeally understand what he's talking about simply by conflating sex and gender (because Rowling definitely didn't say "gender is fact", quite the opposite) and by totally misinterpreting the current power structures within "LGBTQ+". He also fails to identify gender identity theory as the culprit, separate from homosexuality. BUT we all know what he meant and I guess at this point I'm taking everything I can get.

I am also very happy that the whole thing sparked a discussion. And it even resulted in a mass protest which, until now, looks like an embarrassing and very open attempt at limiting artistic freedom. And for that, I'm thankful.

But, yeah... watching his entire piece made me realize that he really isn't a friend of LGB people in the way we'd like him to be. He's doing "black comedy" (don't know if it's the right term) and I understand that his criticisms and his views are meant for a specific demographic, and he openly made it a point in his show that he's really ever talking about black people/culture/problems in relation to gay people/white people/trans people etc. That's fine with me. I'm not black, I'm not even American or an english native speaker. I really can't relate to a lot of what he says, I sometimes don't even understand it to be honest. In that regard, I feel he is not different from a (radical) feminist who makes it a point to focus on the woman's part of a problem and I can respect that. He's hyper focused on one specific POV, that of a black person within US American society. He does crack jokes about black people, too, but the punchline of his jokes are always "the others". "What does transphobia mean when slavery existed? I can pick fights with gay guys, punch a lesbian woman and call her a man, but when they call the police they've gone too far". I'm paraphrasing. It feels like a big fat rant about other minorities, aimed at like-minded people. In a way, he does kinda play the oppression olympics and I find it a bit hypocritical when he's portrayed as THE voice of reason. "Oh, so you have it hard as a X person? Well let me tell you about my struggle..."

There're a lot of whataboutisms in his jokes and I do feel a lot of people think they now got free passes to be homophobes online through him. Just judging by some comment sections and hot takes from people who claim to be "totally cool with gay people", only to rant about how annoying they are 24/7. Something doesn't add up there.

But I'm glad his show exists. I'm just not willing to throw away my last bit of dignity and pretend that he's the free speech Jesus and laugh and clap at everything he says, just because he doesn't care for (most of the) trans bullshit.

[–]ImSuperCerial 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

His closing 15 minutes were a eulogy for a trans woman and you're out here barking about bullshit. fuck you and fuck off.

[–]szalinskikidproblematic androphile 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Pull yourself together and actually explain to us what your problem is instead of acting like a little boy. What has Dave's friendship with Daphne to do with anything I said? A straight man's friendship and solidarity with another straight man who wants to be treated like the stereotype of a woman, says fuck all about his views on gay people. But it says a lot about you because you're lumping us all together, in LGBdroptheT of all places!

LGB =/= T

For Chapelle, we're all just "the gay community" and if you understood LGBdroptheT, you'd understand that this isn't helpful. "He's not the friend we'd like him to be" is what I said and I assume triggered your response. He jumps at every opportunity to call us butt-fuckers and mannish dykes, but is quick to draw his own oppression card to make a point and shut up his critics. This isn't very different from what woke people do, what TRAs or libfems do. His opportunistic eulogy on a (as close to "sane" as it gets) straight guy with autogynephilia was nice I guess. But what does it have to do with my criticism (which was pretty mild to be fair)?

Sorry for not worshipping Dave Chappelle I guess? Just please don't act like a "straight male feminist/nice guy" for gender critical LGB people, that's not helping anyone, and keep down your hostility if you don't understand the very place you're in. Otherwise, F off yourself :)

[–]ImSuperCerial 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You're reaching out for something that doesn't exist. Anyone that worships any living entity is insane. I'd love for you to explain to me how I've been hostile towards anyone. Can't wait actually.

edit: I can't say it enough. Fuck you and fuck off. Dude poured his heart out over the loss of a friend and your reaction is "how dare you make a joke that hits almost close to home." Fuck off. Seriously just fuck off.

[–]szalinskikidproblematic androphile 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

"Fuck you and fuck off", because I'm not 120% on board with the Chappelle hype train? If you think this is a non-hostile way to respond to someone, then I don't know what to tell you. This shows a level of worship regarding his persona, otherwise your response makes no sense to me. I mean, you could've presented an argument why my observation was wrong in your opinion. How about you explain what his "eulogy" for Daphne has to do with my criticism of him?

EDIT: just read your edit. "Please explain how I've been hostile". Dude. Quod erat demonstrandum. And you haven't explained shit, you're acting like a TRA. This isn't about Dave Chappelle AS A PERSON, or his personal loss. This is about his comedy, his message about "the gays" and the recent hype around his free speech persona. And his message is lukewarm, badly researched and sometimes hypocritical and not gay friendly.

[–]Finnegan7921 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

TBH, he's been pretty mediocre for a while now. There was one "special" where half the time was him laughing at his own semi coherent stories and slapping the mic on his leg. That was a waste of time. The content is the content, some of it is funny, much of it isn't. His whole schtick now is showing up high and insulting various groups. You'll get laughs out of people who want to laugh at that sort of stuff, and I don't believe he actually hates anyone, but he has gotten lazy in his writing b/c he has the name, he has the audience, and he is getting paid regardless of what he puts out.

[–]censorshipment 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I'm going to watch it later with a friend. As y'all know by now, I really like offensive shit that pisses off fragile groups of people lol but I've never really liked Dave Chappelle's shit in general because he comes off as a black man who panders to white "Negro" (not the word I wanna use lol) lovers... like the type of white people who go to black comedy shows and be crackin' up instead of walking out. The Jon B, Robin Thicke, Paul Wall types who marry black women and think they're hononary black men. Chappelle panders to them.

[–]Rag3 9 insightful - 5 fun9 insightful - 4 fun10 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

You mean he panders to people who got him a 25M special? Wouldn’t you? 🤣

[–]7874 6 insightful - 5 fun6 insightful - 4 fun7 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

This just in: if you're white and like black comedians you're a "n**** lover".

Don't you know you're supposed to be offended and walk out? Oh and also if you're offended, "stop policing black comedy".

And marrying outside of your race is something to be looked down upon.

/s

[–]our_team_is_winning 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

He has a bit about how he doesn’t want transwomen in the men’s room because that’s for women to deal with. (Tbh, that was just so weird I had to include it.)

Male sexual fetish is NOT women's to deal with!

In fact, I'd say it's a mental health professional's to deal with, or in a growing number of cases, law enforcement's.

[–]censorshipment 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

Just watched it. He literally said "this is about white people", not necessarily about each group he joked about. I've been saying this shit for years... the black LGBT community and white LGBT community are different. We (blacks) don't really demand shit from "cishet" folks. He was spot on about white feminists (mentioned Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth) silencing us... white activists of all types shit on us and silence us. Whites try to divide and control us... black women should form an alliance with white women... black lgbt should form an alliance with white lgbt... NO!

[–]7874 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If you don't want to ally with whites then why are you here?

[–]ImSuperCerial 6 insightful - 4 fun6 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

*complains about racial segregation amongst lgbt folk and demands people dig deeper trenches amongst lgbt based on skin color. How fucking brilliant. How brave and forward thinking. Either an absolute Dolt of a bot.

[–]xanditAGAB (Assigned Gay at Birth) 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Should? They already do.

[–]Rag3 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Susan B Anthony wasn’t there but the Sojourner story is true.

With regards to alliances… 👀.

[–]JoeyJoeJoe 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I don't think we saw the same show, based on your interpretation of it. I read it completely inverse to the way you did. I found it to be a wonderful, honest, compassionate display of integrity. Yes, there was some context of what "gay" was seen to be by the mainstream in the 1980s. Don't confuse his caricatures with his opinions on these topics. He was right to point out the hypocrisy of the mainstream & twitterati in their reactions to homicide vs transphobia. He shone some much needed light on the rank delusions & bullying BY the TRA mob, and for that he has my utmost respect.

[–]bluepadFemale and Super 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I've seen the special twice... not because it was that good, but because it's my way of letting Netflix know they should give us more content that is critical of trans ideology.

The Close is definitely not his finest work, but still important because it put everyone on blast. The history accuracy and some of the terminology was somewhat off, and that can be frustrating, especially because it relates to TRAs redefining words to fit their narrative, but it was a valiant effort nonetheless.

I agree with you; his misogynist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic jokes aren't really all that funny, and I mean that as objectively as possible, but I defend his right to say them. Sure, a lot of people consider him offensive, but free speech is a thing in this country (US). In a strange way, it's probably a good thing that no one is safe from Dave Chappelle and comedians in general. Isn't that the point? To become mainstream enough that no one gives a shit about how you live your life? When coming out isn't a "thing" anymore? But I digress. Dave Chappelle makes fun of everyone, even black people. I personally hate his misogyny, but no one is perfect, and we should all lighten up and every once in a while be open to not taking ourselves so seriously. Even if there's plenty of commentary in his performance, it's still art at the end of the day, take it or leave it.

This is the reason why TRAs are inadvertently peaking so many people. They want to police people's thoughts and words, and that shit isn't working out.

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

I don’t mind comedians being offensive, or even saying homophobic things, as long as they are being funny. Dave Chapelle is not funny. His routines are just him whinging about how he’s oppressed because he’s black and because he’s not allowed to tell homophobic jokes. Yes, racism is real, and people should be allowed to tell offensive jokes because comedy is often at the expense of someone. There is a place for social commentary in comedy. But it doesn’t work with Dave because he half asses it. Either go hard or go home. The only thing funny about his special was the frame of these two transgender members of the audience glaring.

What I find even more annoying is how all these right wing commentators are praising Dave Chapelle "based" for making fun of trans people and "triggering the libs". TRAs and liberal SJWs get offended over everything. If I as a white man decided to set up a Chinese food stand in the city centre I should expect a bunch of Antifa types to protest outside my stand (at the very least) for "cultural appropriation". Dave Chapelle still entertains the delusions of transgender people. Those right wingers who are showering praise upon Chapelle are the same smooth brains who listen to Tom MacDonald rap songs because he’s "conservative", even though Tom MacDonald had Blaire White appear in one of his videos. "But Blaire White is conservative, and she calls out the LGBT agenda". No, Blaire is not a conservative, and he still pretends that he’s a woman. To end this paragraph, I bet that these conservatives don’t find Dave Chapelle funny at all, and are only praising him because he’s said something they agree with him on. Agreeing is not the point of comedy.

Look, I’m glad that Netflix are sticking to their guns and keeping the documentary up despite pressure from their transgender staff and the white person who directed "Dear White People" to cancel Dave Chapelle. I’m not even offended by the documentary, I don’t care about it at all. But Dave Chapelle isn’t funny. He sounds funny only because mainstream comedy is dead. Mainstream comedy died last decade when woke culture cancelled genuinely funny comedians or neutered comedians who were funny but not anymore. Bill Burr was funny up until a few years ago.

[–]MarkJeffersonTight defenses and we draw the line 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (7 children)

But Dave Chapelle isn’t funny. He sounds funny only because mainstream comedy is dead.

Yeah, he's only at the top of the comedy mountain(now a scrap heap) because anyone funnier has been annilated. Only the 'fittest' survived.

The REAL humor folks are laugh-crying about is dark meta. That this kind of stand-up rant by society's uncancelables is all that is left of comedy after all these decades of pushing the envelope. Reduced to eating leather shoelaces where once there were steak dinners. Haha..

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

It’s sad what has happened to comedy. If you want real comedy, you’d have to grow thick skin and go on 4chan.

[–]PatsyStoneMaverique 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

I'm convinced there are a lot of professional comedians posting on /tv/. Where else is there to go?

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

It’s a shame that 4chan is difficult to navigate. I’m more used to the Reddit style setup.

[–]PatsyStoneMaverique 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

They're serious about forcing new people to lurk, it can be difficult to figure out the site mechanics since they'll only explain things piecemeal.

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I guess that is a good strategy. Keeps away the kind of people who would undermine the point of the site.

[–]PatsyStoneMaverique 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It's mostly /b/ and /pol/ that cause all of the trouble. The Obama Admin tried to shut them down, the FBI has been caught trying to entrap posters, they're paranoid for a reason. 90% of the weird shit they do (including the slurs, supposedly) is trickery designed to give the longtime regular posters some control over the board. Baneposting certainly serves that function on /tv/. There's a whole back end to the site where you can check stats, and regulars can signal to each other without openly saying anything.

Some boards are friendlier than others, I think https://boards.4chan.org/ic/ is the most welcoming to new people that I've seen, but you have to be serious about drawing.

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks very much. I only go on 4chan to watch, not to create, but I will keep all that in mind.

[–]our_team_is_winning 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

"But Blaire White is conservative, and she calls out the LGBT agenda". No, Blaire is not a conservative, and he still pretends that he’s a woman. To end this paragraph, I bet that these conservatives don’t find Dave Chapelle funny at all, and are only praising him because he’s said something they agree with him on. Agreeing is not the point of comedy.

Just the other day I saw where a porn star was scheduled to appear at an American Conservative conference, and a few people were pushing back. Defenders were saying "but she voted for Trump!" Turns out she also makes hardcore porn, despite having children who will surely be messed up by that.

Maybe I would get it if she'd been in porn and then "found Jesus" and now lectures on the dangers of porn, but this woman apparently is more "sex positive" than most libfems even. "But she voted for Trump" -- oh, then her proud porno career is totally fine with mainstream conservatives ???

Can you imagine a Democrat gathering where they invited a gun rights, anti-union, anti-immigration, anti-abortionist to join them just because the person had voted for Biden? But conservatives seem to be that stupid.

[–]RedEyedWarriorGay | Male | 🇮🇪 Irish 🇮🇪 | Antineoliberal | Cocks are Compulsory 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Can you imagine a Democrat gathering where they invited a gun rights, anti-union, anti-immigration, anti-abortionist to join them just because the person had voted for Biden?

That sounds like my parents, except they are against gun rights. They are anti immigration, they both voted no in the abortion referendum and they even said that unions should be banned. But they were delighted when Biden got elected and even think that Trump is like a terrorist. I doubt they would last a day in a Democratic convention. They would be Never Trumper Republicans if they were American.

A lot of "conservative" people nowadays are not conservative. They’re just liberals who see how insane the left has become. I was one of these people, calling myself right wing and conservative despite supporting gay marriage and abortion. The only things I was conservative on were taxes, immigration and regulations. Then I realised that I am still not a conservative, so I stopped calling myself conservative. But I’m also not a liberal either. I don’t bother labelling my ideology.

[–]iamonlyoneman 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Both of us only laughed once and noticed that the audience rarely laughed as well.

Welcome to D.C.'s latest version of "comedy", friend.