I've barely tapped into this long rich read because I'm short on time, but I had to see your remarks about Chappelle. First, your identifying his target in mocking trans and handicapped people rings so true -- those who posture glibly and with great delight on social media to proclaim their moral superiority. I had been trusting Dave completely as a grounded and sane human being even without the clarity you just provided.
After one viewing of Dreamer I texted my sister: "I am reminded once again how totally brilliant and fearless he is. The last twenty minutes I was smiling and my mouth was open in astonishment." I want to watch this special again (no time right now), especially to see if I understood this line in context: "There is no more powerful dreamer than a trans man." I took it as a sign of genuine respect. I read an oblique reference to this line by a reviewer who took it as one last dig against the trans among us.
I look forward to a relaxed reading of the rest of this rich, ridiculous, roaming, and reflective Rubesletter that you always deliver.
Thanks. It's a tricky one for sure. Guess I just crave people condemning these two to consider, at least for a moment, that maybe it's their sanctimony that is at least PART of the reason for these jokes as opposed to just pure cruelty targeting marginalized folks.
Interesting. I saw the Gervais show last night and while I absolutely love him and have tracked his discontent for years (including great Sam Harris podcasts), I found it a bit tiring, stale, even cringy.
I’ll always have love in my ❤️ for Gervais not just because he was so excellent hosting the GG (the only reason I even watched it) but especially after his heart shattering work with After Life. He’s an icon. He’s tops. Just not last night. :(
Great piece. I personally think Chapelle/Gervais are targeting trans people and they're using their "talent" to shift the target over to the perfect victim of outrage culture. You can just tell when a joke is rooted in prejudice - Gervais more so than Chapelle as DC is a much more accomplished comedian than RG. That Sam Morill nails it with "why the sudden interest in women's swimming" ?? The whole thing with DC having a friend what committed suicide is another example of a perfect victim. Her suicide had nothing to do with him and it was a pretty low blow for him to use her death as a loophole so that we can't call him transphobic.
Of course outrage culture is a great target for a joke, but I can tell when that wasn't the nugget of truth that inspired the joke. I see you! I wish these geezers would just admit that they're kind of grossed out by trans people. It would be so refreshing!
Appreciate the feedback and I get your p.o.v. There's plenty I wish he'd do different. But just to play devil's advocate for a sec: Do you also think he is targeting disabled people with those jokes? Is he "prejudiced" against them? Is he grossed out by Chinese people and that's why he mocks them in this special?
I believe this is an accurate assessment. While it may have been lazy in delivery it was clearly satire. I wish we could all more easily have nuanced conversations. I have been waiting to have more conversations in public about these specials, but so many people (who haven’t even seen the Chappelle specials-they only read about it) believe he is violent and hateful. It wasn’t that long ago when we could all have public discourse without screaming violence, wanting to burn each other, or hurt each other. While the way these two are talking about it now has become tiresome, it still holds up. The last two days I have been preoccupied with people speaking out about the monologue at the Golden Globes. They are saying how it hurt women--if I see one more think piece on that I may scream. Was it a great joke? No, but was it misogynist or abusive to women? Not at all. I heard it, I read it and I just want to know, “Where is the lie?” I want us to be able to talk, to dislike things, to disagree, and not hate each other for it. Where is that going to get any of us? I don’t feel like Gervais or Chapelle are hateful. That being said, I would like to see them change their acts.
Good point, and no I don't think he's grossed out by those groups but the lack of respect is very clear in that he's happy to use them as pawns. Whereas in say a Shane Gills joke about his uncle with Downs it's clear the love and respect is there. Speaking of Gills he lost his SNL contract because of dodgy Chinese jokes so nobody is perfect... And maybe this is all just purely my taste and what triggers me but here we are!
I've barely tapped into this long rich read because I'm short on time, but I had to see your remarks about Chappelle. First, your identifying his target in mocking trans and handicapped people rings so true -- those who posture glibly and with great delight on social media to proclaim their moral superiority. I had been trusting Dave completely as a grounded and sane human being even without the clarity you just provided.
After one viewing of Dreamer I texted my sister: "I am reminded once again how totally brilliant and fearless he is. The last twenty minutes I was smiling and my mouth was open in astonishment." I want to watch this special again (no time right now), especially to see if I understood this line in context: "There is no more powerful dreamer than a trans man." I took it as a sign of genuine respect. I read an oblique reference to this line by a reviewer who took it as one last dig against the trans among us.
I look forward to a relaxed reading of the rest of this rich, ridiculous, roaming, and reflective Rubesletter that you always deliver.
Thanks. It's a tricky one for sure. Guess I just crave people condemning these two to consider, at least for a moment, that maybe it's their sanctimony that is at least PART of the reason for these jokes as opposed to just pure cruelty targeting marginalized folks.
Interesting. I saw the Gervais show last night and while I absolutely love him and have tracked his discontent for years (including great Sam Harris podcasts), I found it a bit tiring, stale, even cringy.
I’ll always have love in my ❤️ for Gervais not just because he was so excellent hosting the GG (the only reason I even watched it) but especially after his heart shattering work with After Life. He’s an icon. He’s tops. Just not last night. :(
Some of your best stuff, dude. Insightful and hilarious
Great piece. I personally think Chapelle/Gervais are targeting trans people and they're using their "talent" to shift the target over to the perfect victim of outrage culture. You can just tell when a joke is rooted in prejudice - Gervais more so than Chapelle as DC is a much more accomplished comedian than RG. That Sam Morill nails it with "why the sudden interest in women's swimming" ?? The whole thing with DC having a friend what committed suicide is another example of a perfect victim. Her suicide had nothing to do with him and it was a pretty low blow for him to use her death as a loophole so that we can't call him transphobic.
https://michaelhobbes.substack.com/p/dave-chappelles-some-of-my-best-friends
Of course outrage culture is a great target for a joke, but I can tell when that wasn't the nugget of truth that inspired the joke. I see you! I wish these geezers would just admit that they're kind of grossed out by trans people. It would be so refreshing!
Appreciate the feedback and I get your p.o.v. There's plenty I wish he'd do different. But just to play devil's advocate for a sec: Do you also think he is targeting disabled people with those jokes? Is he "prejudiced" against them? Is he grossed out by Chinese people and that's why he mocks them in this special?
I believe this is an accurate assessment. While it may have been lazy in delivery it was clearly satire. I wish we could all more easily have nuanced conversations. I have been waiting to have more conversations in public about these specials, but so many people (who haven’t even seen the Chappelle specials-they only read about it) believe he is violent and hateful. It wasn’t that long ago when we could all have public discourse without screaming violence, wanting to burn each other, or hurt each other. While the way these two are talking about it now has become tiresome, it still holds up. The last two days I have been preoccupied with people speaking out about the monologue at the Golden Globes. They are saying how it hurt women--if I see one more think piece on that I may scream. Was it a great joke? No, but was it misogynist or abusive to women? Not at all. I heard it, I read it and I just want to know, “Where is the lie?” I want us to be able to talk, to dislike things, to disagree, and not hate each other for it. Where is that going to get any of us? I don’t feel like Gervais or Chapelle are hateful. That being said, I would like to see them change their acts.
Good point, and no I don't think he's grossed out by those groups but the lack of respect is very clear in that he's happy to use them as pawns. Whereas in say a Shane Gills joke about his uncle with Downs it's clear the love and respect is there. Speaking of Gills he lost his SNL contract because of dodgy Chinese jokes so nobody is perfect... And maybe this is all just purely my taste and what triggers me but here we are!