I saw stand-up comedy legend Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special, “The Closer,” the day it came out. I like to think of myself as a stand-up aficionado. I’ve been watching it for 30 years, even at times when I probably wasn’t old enough to be hearing the things I was hearing. I learned from a young age that you’re not going to like everything you hear, but if someone can make something that might offend you funny, then they’re doing their job as a comedian.
That’s the case with Chappelle.
I don’t agree with everything he says, but he’s been making me laugh since I first watched him the 1993 Mel Brooks film, “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.”
The unfortunate, new world we currently live in — where everything is offensive, and you can’t say anything with the fear of being “cancelled” — has come for Chappelle once again. And in typical Chappelle fashion, he literally told “mob” that he loves it.
After a special screening of his “Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary” at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Thursday night, Chappelle took the stage to address the audience that was filled with celebrities.
And as Chappelle typically receives, the audience gave him a standing ovation before he began speaking.
“If this is what being canceled is like, I love it,” Chappelle said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Related: Update: White Showrunner of 'Dear White People' Cancels Chappelle
Chappelle has been on the receiving end of a ruthless attack by the establishment media, Twitter in general and what I like to call the “Alphabet Mafia,” more commonly known as the LGBTQ-LMNOP-How-Many-Letters-Can-We-Add-This-Week cult, following the release of “The Closer.”
In the special, Chappelle takes shots at the Alphabet Mafia for how sensitive they are about any criticism or jokes that comes their way. These are most likely the same people who laugh when Chappelle makes fun of other segments of the population, but can’t take a joke when it comes to themselves.
On a side note, if you can’t laugh at yourself once in a while, you have no business laughing at jokes about other people — you simply don’t understand the objective of true stand-up comedians.
Back to the Chappelle’s Thursday night appearance at the Hollywood Bowl.
The 48-year-old comic had a response to all the pushback he’s received for his comedy at the hands of “the mob.”
“F**k Twitter. F**k NBC News, ABC News, all these stupid ass networks,” Chappelle said. “I’m not talking to them. I’m talking to you. This is real life.”
Here's another lost concept that people under 40 these days don't understand anymore; If you don't like something, don't watch it. Simple.
If any of the perpetually offended actually watched Chappelle’s special in full context, instead of only watching clips cherrypicked to “trigger” them, they would’ve seen what his overarching message was, which he reiterated Thursday evening in Los Angeles.
“Do something nice for someone who looks nothing like you,” he said. “We have to trust one another.”
Funny is funny, folks. If you can’t laugh at life every now and then, ask yourself what kind of life you’re living.