Dave Chapelle didn’t jt offend the LGBTQ muny wh his latt standup special. He betrayed the legacy of the Black ic tradn he hered. Some of the most inic Black edians were eher gay or affirmed them their performanc.
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DAVE CHAPPELLE AND “THE BLACK ASS LIE” THAT KEEPS US DOWNTHE EDIAN PERPETUAT THE IA THAT STRAIGHT BLACK MEN HAVE WORSE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP OF BLACK PEOPLE—CLUDG BLACK WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ BLACK PEOPLE.BY JAAH LEMIXJANUARY 13, 2022ILLUSTRATION BY QUINTON MCMILLAN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEI WAS A BAD STATE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE CLOSER. PISSED, DISAPPOTED, NFED, WATCHG HOW MANY BLACK FOLKS, CLUDG SOME I KNOW AND LOVE EPLY, PUFFED THEIR CHTS OUT ALONGSI EDIAN DAVE CHAPPELLE AND ECHOED HIS NVICTN THAT “THE ALPHABET PEOPLE” WERE BEG GIVEN SOMETHG—KDNS? CIVIL RIGHTS?—THAT “THE BLACKS” WERE NOT RECEIVG WH THE SAME EASE.WHERE DID THE BELIEF THAT QUEERNS OR TRANS INTY MAK SOMEONE ANY LS OF A N-GGER—OR A N-GGA, FOR THAT MATTER—ORIGATE? THAT BLACK LGBTQ+ PEOPLE DON’T EXPERIENCE RACISM AND THE PHOBIAS ALIGNED WH OTHER PARTS OF THEIR INTI?SEE, MY PEOPLE ARE SENSIVE, AND RIGHTFULLY SO. WE’VE BEEN BISED AND BATTERED OM EVERY ANGLE. RACISM HAS BBED SO RAW THAT A SYMBOL OF PROGRS FOR “OTHER” MARGALIZED GROUPS N EASILY FEEL LIKE AN AFONT.IT’S ONE THG TO, SAY, CHALLENGE IMMIGRATN POLICI THAT MAKE SO THAT WHE FOLKS N SAFELY AND LEGALLY SEEK ASYLUM HERE, WHILE PEOPLE OM BLACK NATNS ARE PORTED AND WORSE. BUT YOU NNOT P “THE BLACKS” AGAST “THE ALPHABET PEOPLE,” NOR N YOU SEPARATE “THE BLACKS” OM “WOMEN”—OR “THE BCH,” AS CHAPPELLE LLS . MANY OF ARE BOTH, OR MORE, AND WHEN YOU TRY TO SEPARATE , SORT , YOU FEED “THE BLACK ASS LIE.”BLACK AMERINS ARE NOT SOLIDLY UNIFIED AROUND MANY THGS ASI OM THE SIRE TO BE EE—AND WE DON’T ALL AGREE ON WHAT EEDOM LOOKS LIKE. WE DON’T HAVE A SGULAR POLIL AGENDA, NOR A ERNG DOCUMENT THAT L UP OUR SHARED VALU. EVEN WH THE MASSIVE FORCE THAT WE LL “THE BLACK CHURCH” THERE ARE STRIKGLY DIFFERENT DIRECTIV ABOUT HOW WE DO, AND SHOULD, LIVE.HOWEVER, I WILL ARGUE—AS I HAVE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND WILL UNTIL MY LAST BREATH—THAT ASI OM CRAVG LIBERATN, BLACK FOLKS ARE ONLY SGLE-MD BELIEVG STRONGLY THAT BLACK MEN ARE DISENANCHISED BY THE PROVERBIAL SYSTEM AND THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE AN OBLIGATN TO RE FOR THEM. BLACK NSERVATIV, BLACK FEMISTS, AND NEARLY EVERYONE BETWEEN SPEAK SERLY OF THE PLIGHT OF THE BLACK MAN; WE MAY NOT ALL AGREE ON HOW TO ADDRS SAID PLIGHT, BUT WE AGREE THAT EXISTS.BUT “THE BLACK MAN” IS TOO OFTEN D LANGUAGE FOR “THE CISHET BLACK MAN” AND THE GREE TO WHICH ANY AND ALL OTHER GROUPS OF BLACK PEOPLE ARE SUFFERG—THAT IS UP FOR BATE. THIS ULD JT BE CHALKED UP TO SEXISM AND VAR OTHER-PHOBIAS, BUT I THK ’S EPER THAN THAT. MANY OF HOLD THE BIGGT SPACE FOR OUR MEN (AND SOMETIM OUR BOYS, BUT RARELY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MEN) OUR LLECTIVE HEARTS BEE WE FEEL LIKE THEY NEED MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.BLACK AMERI’S VERSN OF “THE BIG LIE”—“THE BLACK ASS LIE”—IS THAT BLACK MEN HAVE WORSE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP OF BLACK PEOPLE. IN HER BT-SELLG ELOQUENT RAGE: A BLACK FEMIST DISVERS HER SUPERPOWER, SCHOLAR AND CNK FEMIST COLLECTIVE FOUNR BRTNEY COOPER WR, “BLACK MEN GROW UP BELIEVG AND MOVG THROUGH THE WORLD POLILLY AS THOUGH THEY HAVE THE TOUGHT, AS THOUGH THEIR PA MATTERS MOST, AS THOUGH BLACK WOMEN NNOT POSSIBLY BE FEELG ANYTHG SIAR TO THE HUMANIZATN AND DISRPECT THEY HAVE FELT.” THERE IS LTLE TO NO NSIRATN OF WHAT THOSE OF WHO ARE HARMED BY MISOGYNY, AND MAYBE HURT EVEN WORSE, MIGHT ENDURE. “THAT MIGHT, MANY S, BE WORSE FOR ,” LAMENTS COOPER, “SEEMS TO MANY MEN A PREPOSTERO SUPPOSN.”I.“ANYONE SEE THAT RAY RICE TAPE? I N’T STOP WATCHG . IT’S FUCKG AWFUL. IT’S THE MOST VLENT THG I’VE SEEN HAPPEN TO A WOMAN THAT WAS SHOT LOR. REALLY FUCKG BAD. IF I ULD’VE OZE TIME AT THAT MOMENT AND GAVE RAY RICE SOME ADVICE, I DON’T THK THERE’S ANY WAY POSSIBLE I’D BE LIKE, ‘YOU SHOULD PUNCH HER THE FACE.’ THAT’S A FUCKG TERRIBLE IA. AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO BELIEVE SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE SHED HIM. WHAT THE FUCK? YOU N’T BEAT HIM. DON’T SH A MOTHERFUCKER THAT’S TRAED TO STIFF-ARM PEOPLE THE CLUTCH. HE’S GONNA GET THE UPPER HAND.” —DEEP THE HEART OF TEXAS: DAVE CHAPPELLE LIVE AT AT CY LIMS (2017)BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT WRONG TO WANT TO LOVE OUR MEN AND LOVE THEM HARD. BLACK MEN AND BOYS ARE UNIQUELY DISENANCHISED ON ACUNT OF THEIR INTI—BUT THEY ARE NOT ALONE HAVG SUCH AN EXPERIENCE. FURTHERMORE, THEIR OPPRSN DO NOT ABSOLVE THE MEN THEMSELV OF THE POWER OF PATRIARCHY, AND DO NOT PREVENT THEM OM EXERTG THAT POWER OVER WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY BLACK ON.BLACK WOMEN’S LIV ARE LARGELY LORED BY THE LOPSID LOYALTI. FROM GIRLHOOD, WE SEE BLACK MEN AS OUR GREATT HOPE THIS WORLD, AS BOTH FIERCE KGS FOR TO SERVE AND VULNERABLE PRC FOR TO PROTECT. AS THE OLD SAYG GO, MANY OF LOVE OUR SONS, AND RAISE OUR DGHTERS, AND WE OFTEN RAISE THEM TO THK TWICE BEFORE EVER DROPPG A DIME ON ONE, EVEN IF HE’S HARMED GREATLY. WE ARE ENURAGED TO ACCEPT THE BARE MIMUM OUR ROMANC AND EXPRS GRATU TO BE ABLE TO LOVE A BROTHER AT ALL—AND, SOMEHOW, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SERVICE OF A GREATER BLACK GOOD.BUT OUR THG WH BLACK MEN IS NOT A RECIPROL ARRANGEMENT, AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE QUICK TO TELL YOU THAT THEY NEVER ASKED FOR THIS. THE AVERAGE BLACK MAN WAS NOT RAISED TO SEE HIMSELF AS OBLIGATED TO THE WOMEN OF OUR RACE, CERTALY NOT TO QUEER PEOPLE OR THE OTHER BCH; HIS OBLIGATN IS TO HIMSELF, TO GET AS EE AS HE N BE. OVER TIME, WE END UP MTED TO SUPPORTG HIM AND HIS EEDOM, NOT OURS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHAS A RULT OF “THE BLACK ASS LIE,” INTIFYG AS A BLACK FEMIST IS AK TO INTIFYG AS A HATER OF BLACK MEN THE EY OF MANY, AND DISLOYALTY TO BLACK MEN IS ONE OF THE GREATT CRIM A BLACK WOMAN N M. IT DON’T MATTER WHAT A BLACK MALE EDIAN, RAPPER, POLICIAN, OR SCHOLAR SAYS ABOUT BLACK WOMEN, HIS LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE IS UNLIKELY TO BE CHALLENGED. BUT TO BE A BLACK WOMAN WHO IS FOR THE WOMEN? EXPECT TO HAVE YOUR POLICS WEAPONIZED AGAST YOU, TO BE TOLD THAT YOU ARE WHAT HOLDS BACK, YOU ARE WHAT DIVIS AS A PEOPLE.YET, EVEN THE MOST RADIL BLACK FEMISTS HAVE TYPILLY MA PLA THEIR MMENT TO STANDG SOLIDARY WH OUR BROTHERS, WHILE CHALLENGG THE POWER THAT PATRIARCHY AFFORDS THEM OVER . IN THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE STATEMENT—THE 1977 MANIFTO WRTEN BY BARBARA SMH, BEVERLY SMH, AND DEMA FRAZIER—THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDG MUNY ALONGSI BLACK MEN IS UNRSRED EARLY WH THE PAG OF THE GROUNDG DOCUMENT. “OUR SUATN AS BLACK PEOPLE NECSAT THAT WE HAVE SOLIDARY AROUND THE FACT OF RACE, WHICH WHE WOMEN OF URSE DON’T NEED TO HAVE WH WHE MEN, UNLS IS THEIR NEGATIVE SOLIDARY AS RACIAL OPPRSORS.” WHILE THE STATEMENT’S THORS WERE LBIANS, THEY SPOKE PLALY TO THE PLITED RELATNSHIP BETWEEN BLACK FEMISTS WHO LOVE BLACK MEN, ROMANTILLY OR OTHERWISE: “WE STGGLE TOGETHER WH BLACK MEN AGAST RACISM, WHILE WE ALSO STGGLE WH BLACK MEN ABOUT SEXISM.”BLACK WOMEN HAVE NOT BEEN PARTICULARLY OUTSPOKEN ABOUT CHAPPELLE’S TREATMENT OF HIS WORK. BEFORE DARG TO WA TO THIS MS OF A MEDIA CYCLE, I HAD BEEN TOO BADLY BURNED BY REACTNS TO MY CRICISM OF ACTUAL SEX OFFENRS LIKE BILL COSBY (WHOSE NVICTN FOR AGGRAVATED CENT SEXUAL ASSLT WAS OVERTURNED ON A TECHNILY) AND R. KELLY TO RISK WHAT WOULD E OF TRIGGERG CHAPPELLE’S SENSIVE DIENCE. I SPECT PART OF THAT HAS TO DO WH THE WAYS WE’RE SOCIALIZED TO MAKE SPACE FOR OUR MEN TO SPEAK, PARTICULARLY THROUGH ART. IN THE 1990S, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST (AND ELR) C. DELOR TUCKER WAS MA THE SURGE OF YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE EVERYWHERE FOR DARG TO STAND UP TO HIP-HOP, SETTG THE TONE FOR WHAT BLACK WOMEN WHO DARED TO CRIQUE “THE CULTURE” ULD EXPECT. WHILE THE ADVENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GIVEN OUTSPOKEN BLACK BCH MORE OF A PLATFORM THAN WE ULD HAVE EVER HOPED FOR THE PAST, ’S ALSO MA EASIER THAN EVER TO HARASS AND MEAN .“WE DON’T EVEN HAVE TO ASK BLACK WOMEN TO SACRIFICE FOR OUR SURVIVAL,” THE THOR MYCHAL DENZEL SMH WROTE INVISIBLE MAN, GOT THE WHOLE WORLD WATCHG: A YOUNG BLACK MAN’S EDUTN. “THEY DO SO WHOUT FORMAL REQUT. IN TURN, WE DISMISS THE NCERNS OF BLACK WOMANHOOD AS TRIVIAL OR DIVISIVE, FAILG TO SEE BLACK WOMEN’S PA AS REAL OR NEED OF OUR ATTENTN.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHSMH ACKNOWLEDG WHAT IS ACPLISHED WH THE FAILURE TO SEE BLACK WOMEN AS VICTIMS OF NEARLY ANY SORT, REGARDLS OF ALL THAT WE’RE UP AGAST—WHICH CLUS VASTATG RAT OF RAPE AND DOMTIC ABE, TOPICS THAT CHAPPELLE HAS OFTEN MED FOR LGHS: “WE HAVEN’T BEEN NEGLECTG BLACK WOMEN AS SUBSTANCE, OF FLH AND BONE, FIBER AND LIQUIDS—AND MDS—THROUGH SOME LLECTIVE BLACK MALE BRA FART. WE’VE DONE SO BEE WE HAVE E TO BELIEVE PATRIARCHY AND MALE DOMANCE AS THE REALIZATN OF EEDOM.”II.“HOLLYWOOD IS NO PLACE FOR MORAL ABSOLUTISM. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WE MT NEVER FET THAT R. KELLY PEED ON A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL. [LGHG] AND HE ALSO WROTE ‘I BELIEVE I CAN FLY.’ [LGHG] SAME GUY, SAME LIFETIME. [LGHG] IF I SHOWED YOU THAT VIO OF HIM PEEG ON THAT GIRL, AND SRED TO ‘I BELIEVE I CAN FLY,’ YOU’D BE TORN.” —THE BIRD REVELATN (2017)A FAMO CHAPPELLE’S SHOW SKETCH MOCKS THE FAMO TAPE OF R. KELLY URATG ON AN UNRAGE BLACK GIRL THAT FIRST CIRCULATED BLACK BARBERSHOPS, OVER BOOTLEG TABL, AND ON PORN S 2002. IN A “VIO” FOR A SONG LLED “(I WANNA) PEE ON YOU,” CHAPPELLE STEAD STS ADULT WOMEN; STEAD OF SATIRIZG KELLY AS AN ALLEGED PREDATOR—WE ALREADY KNEW HE’D MARRIED AALIYAH WHEN SHE WAS 15—HE’S MERELY MOCKED FOR AN UNHYGIENIC KK. (R. KELLY WAS ACQUTED OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARG 2008, BUT THIS SEPTEMBER HE WAS NVICTED OF SEXUAL EXPLOATN OF A CHILD AND SEX TRAFFICKG, AMONG OTHER CRIM (AND WHOSE VICTIMS CLU AALIYAH) AND FAC MORE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARG RELATED TO THE 2008 SE. HE HAS MATAED HIS NOCENCE.)IT IS HARD FOR ME, AS A WOMAN HER 30S, TO THK ABOUT THE REACTNS I SAW ADULT BLACK MEN, AND WOMEN, HAVE TO THE KELLY TAPE BACK THEN AND FOR MANY YEARS AFTER. TO ME, SEEMS THAT THE B AND THE POSIVE RECEPTN TO SPOKE VOLUM ABOUT THE ABILY OF CHAPPELLE, AND MOST PEOPLE, TO HAVE EMPATHY FOR BLACK GIRLS AND WOMEN. WE WOULDN’T LGH—SI BY SI WH WHE FOLKS—ABOUT ANY OF THE STANC OF BLACK MEN OR BOYS BEG HARMED BY STATE VLENCE. HOW ULD BLACK WOMEN BE ASKED TO LGH AT RAPE JOK ALONGSI, SENTIALLY, THE SAME FOLKS WHO’D BE ALLOWED TO RAPE WH IMPUNY? IT’S “THE BLACK ASS LIE.”SCHOLAR AND SISTER-IEND BRTANY BRATHWAE DROPPED A GEM A RECENT NVERSATN: “THERE IS THIS MUNAL GRIEF OVER THE ATH OF BLACK MEN, BUT NOT OVER THE RAPE OF BLACK WOMEN. PEOPLE GET SO UPSET THAT THEY HAVE TO MISS WORK, BEE THEY READ ABOUT A MAN THEY NEVER MET GETTG KILLED A CY THEY’VE NEVER BEEN TO.” BUT WHEN TO CRIM AGAST BLACK WOMEN’S BODI, SHE SAYS, “THE GNIVE DISSONANCE IS ASTOUNDG.” THE AIRG OF A TWO-PART, 10-HOUR DOCERI DITED TO S OF HIS SEXUAL VLENCE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE NATN A CHOKE HOLD à LA ROOTS.IF BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS NNOT SUMMON THE ENTHIASTIC SUPPORT OF OUR OWN FOLKS, YOU N EASILY GUS WHAT SORT OF SOLIDARY WE ENJOY OM WHE FOLKS AND NON-BLACK PEOPLE OF LOR, MANY OF WHOM GLADLY BENEF OM THE FACT THAT AT LEAST THEY AREN’T BLACK AND FEMALE, BUT ALSO OM THE AMOUNT OF LABOR BLACK WOMEN PERFORM ON BEHALF OF “DIVERSY” . 8:46, THE ACCLAIMED SHORT SPECIAL OM CHAPPELLE RELEASED DURG THE “RACIAL RECKONG” OF SUMMER 2020, WAS RERD DURG THE SEASON OF PROTTS SPIRED BY THE ATH OF BREONNA TAYLOR (BEGNG MAY; NOTE THAT TAYLOR WAS KILLED BACK MARCH) BUT HE MANAGED TO TALK ABOUT POLICE VLENCE FOR NEARLY HALF AN HOUR WHOUT NAMG A SGLE BLACK WOMAN WHO’D FALLEN VICTIM TO . HE DID MAKE TIME TO DRAG A RIGHT-WG DARLG WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED (STOP PLATFORMG THE PEOPLE!) AND RAPPER AZEALIA BANKS, NODDG TO WHEN THE LATTER MA BLOG HEADL 2020 AFTER CLAIMG SHE AND CHAPPELLE HAD SEX (“I’LL TELL LIKE AZEALIA BANKS, I’LL TELL,” HE VOWS AS A PUNCH LE).COOPER SUGGTS THAT “AMONG BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN, PERHAPS THERE IS A GENR EMPATHY GAP.” SHE C REARCH THAT FDS THAT WOMEN GENERAL RECEIVE “AQUATE” TREATMENT FOR VAR FORMS OF PA AND THEORIZ THAT THE RAMIFITNS ARE BROAR-REACHG FOR BLACK WOMEN: “BLACK MEN EQUENTLY DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE OUR VULNERABILY, DON’T SEEM TO THK WE NEED FENDG, AND DON’T FEEL A POLIL RPONSIBILY TO HOLD BLACK WOMEN (WHO AREN’T THEIR MOTHERS OR SISTERS OR DGHTERS) UP AND HONOR THEM.”THE ERASURE OF BLACK BCH MURRED BY THE STATE REMD ME OF THE POLARIZG EFFORTS TO CENTER THE ANTI-POLICE-VLENCE MOVEMENT SPARKED BY THE ATH OF MISSOURI TEEN MICHAEL “MIKE” BROWN 2014. THOUGH MANY OF THE MOST VISIBLE YOUNG ANIZERS WERE BLACK WOMEN AND/OR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, THERE WERE OTHERS WHO FELT THAT ACKNOWLEDGG HOW THE POPULATNS FARE AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE DISTRACTED OM “THE BIGGER PICTURE.” I TOOK MANY TRIPS TO FERGON TO VER THE PROTTS, AND I WAS ALWAYS STCK BY THE PRENCE OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN. I KNEW, AND I KNEW THEY KNEW, THAT THE MUNY WOULD NEVER HAVE SHOWN UP FOR THEM THE SAME NUMBERS. INED, SOME OF THE PEOPLE MARCHG FOR MIKE BROWN WOULD HAVE GLADLY PARTICIPATED VLENCE AGAST THOSE BCH. AND UNTIL THE ATHS OF TAYLOR AND SANDRA BLAND, WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR MANY TO BELIEVE THAT BLACK WOMEN AREN’T VICTIMS OF POLICE VLENCE AT ALL. “THE BLACK ASS LIE” FDS ABLE TO FOC ONLY ON ONE TARGET.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHDPE CHAPPELLE’S SHORTGS WH REGARD TO UNRSTANDG AND REFLECTG THE EXPERIENC OF BLACK WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, THOSE OF ALL RAC NSIR HIM TO BE AN IMPORTANT BLACK VOICE. WATCHG CHAPPELLE’S SHOW IS SENTIALLY AS CLOSE TO READG CRIL RACE THEORY AS THE AVERAGE AMERIN WHE BOY WILL LIKELY EVER GET. PEOPLE GO TO HIM FOR PROFOUND RACIAL SIGHTS; SOMETIM HE LIVERS, OTHER TIM HE IS WEIGHED DOWN BY HOW LTLE HE SEEMS TO THK OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO AREN’T WHAT HE’D NSIR MEN. IF WE N’T CHALLENGE HIM TO THK A B MORE EPLY ABOUT CERTA URGENT ISSU, THAT HAS PROFOUND RAMIFITNS. AND, AT LEAST FOR SOME OF BCH, HURTS LIKE SH. WHO DON’T WANT TO LGH AT A DAVE CHAPPELLE JOKE?BUT UNTIL HE STARTED MAKG THE TRANS MUNY HIS FAVORE PUNCHG BAG, WE DIDN’T TALK MUCH ABOUT CHAPPELLE’S MISOGYNY AND HOMOPHOBIA. WHEN CRICS SPOKE OF THE IC, WAS TYPILLY JT TO GH OVER HOW BRILLIANT HE IS, HOW ABSOLUTELY SHARP THE RACIAL LENS OF THE GUY BEHD “3RD WORLD GIRLS GONE WILD.”IN THE GEO “IF HE HOLLERS, LET HIM GO,” A NATNAL MAGAZE AWARD FALIST SAY, THE WRER RACHEL KAADZI GHANSAH IS AMONG THE CHOS: “DAVE CHAPPELLE IS WHOUT A DOUBT HIS GENERATN’S SMARTT IC.” CG HIS UPBRGG AROUND “JEWISH KIDS, BLACK KIDS, AND VIETNAME IMMIGRANTS,” SHE CREDS THE IC WH G “THE EXPERIENC TO BEE AMERI’S NSUL AND TRANSLATOR FOR ALL THGS RACIAL. MORE THAN ANY IC OF HIS GENERATN, HE LANCED THE BOIL OF HOW RACE WORKS AND ALSO PRODD AT HOW NUANCED RACE HAD BEE.”IT MIGHT BE CREDIBLE THAT SOMEONE ULD PEL SUCH PRAISE AS A RACIAL TRANSLATOR, A SPOKPERSON FOR HIS PEOPLE WHILE HAVG SUCH A SHTY LENS ON GENR AND SEXUALY. ALAS, WHAT MORE N YOU EXPECT WHEN THE BLACK MAN’S NEEDS ARE BLACK NEEDS, THE BLACK MAN’S PLIGHT IS THE BLACK PLIGHT, BUT WHEN TO THE BLACK BCH? WE’RE ON OUR OWN. WE HAVE OURSELV AND SOMETIM SOME OF THE OTHER BCH TO LL UPON. THAT’S DUE PART TO “THE BLACK ASS LIE.”CHAPPELLE BOTH FEEDS THE MYTH AND TO PROTECT HIMSELF. IN 2017’S THE AGE OF SP: DAVE CHAPPELLE LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM, HE TELLS OF A YOUNG WHE WOMAN NONTG HIM ABOUT THE WAY HE LEVERAG HIS RACIAL INTY TO WAVE OFF ACCATNS OF MISOGYNY: “BCH, HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU GOG TO YELL AT A BLACK MAN ABOUT DISCRIMATN?” HIS GREAT TELLECT DO NOT LEAD HIM DOWN A ROAD WHICH HE NSIRS HOW A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN WHO SHAR HIS HECKLER’S VIEWS MIGHT EXPERIENCE BEG A BOTH/AND; STEAD, HE AGA TO TRICK DIENC OUT OF THKG BLACK MEN N PARTICIPATE PATRIARCHY. THIS IS A CEL, CEL JOKE ON THE BCH, PARTICULARLY THE BLACK BCH: ALL OF NEGRO WHO AREN’T BLACK CISHET MEN.MANY THGS N BE TE AT ONCE, AND WE STGGLE TO REGNIZE THAT. THAT BLACK MEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AND NTUE TO BE PROFILED, STEREOTYPED, AND MISTREATED BASED ON PERVASIVE MYTHOLOGY AND THAT THERE ARE BLACK MEN AMONG —NOT THE MAJORY, OF URSE NOT—WHO ARE ABIVE AND VLENT AND THAT SOMETIM THOSE MEN ARE ON WE REALLY LOVE AND THAT, BEE THE MAJORY OF THE VLENCE MTED BY THOSE DIVIDUALS WILL BE FLICTED ON OTHER BLACK PEOPLE, IS A BLACK NCERN. “MEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VLENT” AND “MEN OF ALL RAC RAPE” ARE NOT REASONS FOR TO IGNORE THAT BLACK WOMEN FACE HIGHER RAT OF SEXUAL ASSLT, DOMTIC VLENCE, AND MURR THAN MOST OTHER GROUPS OF WOMEN THIS UNTRY.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHCHAPPELLE THE FACT THAT HE’S A BLACK GUY, A KG OF OPPRSN, TO PE CRICISM FOR HIS JOK THAT HARM GROUPS TO WHICH HE DO NOT BELONG. IN THE PROCS, HE BOTH EMPHASIZ HIS OWN INTY AS THE MOST MARGALIZED OF THEM ALL AND PRETENDS THAT BLACK WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ FOLKS DON’T GET THEIR ASS KICKED OM EVERY ANGLE. YET, A GOOD NUMBER OF ARE CLED TO GO GIVE HIM VER. “WE WON’T LET YOU NCEL DAVE CHAPPELLE” SEEMED LIKE THE RALLYG CRY OF A MOVEMENT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS—I FULLY EXPECTED T-SHIRTS.PART OF THE REASON THAT SO-LLED NCEL CULTURE IS UPSETTG TO BLACK FOLKS IS THAT WE ARE ED TO HAVG THGS—AND PEOPLE—TAKEN AWAY OM UNR UNREASONABLE CIRCUMSTANC. WHEN CHAPPELLE DANGL THE IA THAT SOMEONE IS TRYG TO SILENCE HIM, WHICH HE’S BEEN DOG NSISTENTLY SCE AT LEAST 2017, HE’S TOYG WH ONE OF THE MOST SENSIVE ANCTRAL MEMORI: THAT A BLACK MAN IS BEG SNATCHED AWAY OM . WE DON’T TAKE KDLY TO THAT SH AT ALL BEE WE LOVE OUR MEN AND BOYS, AND WE WILL NOT LOSE THEM IF WE N HELP . CHAPPELLE DON’T SIMPLY SUGGT THAT THIS MOVEMENT TO SILENCE THE OUTSPOKEN WILL DO HIM ; 2017’S EQUANIMY, HE THREATENS TO QU EDY OVER . SHUT THE FUCK UP OR WE’RE GONNA LOSE A GOOD BLACK MAN IS WHAT MANY OF HEARD.YET FAMO BLACK MEN ARE RARELY NCELED. THAT’S BEE THEY BENEF MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP OF BLACK MEN OM “THE BLACK ASS LIE”; WHEN WE SEE ONE OF THEM BEG ANY SORT OF TROUBLE, BLACK FOLKS SWOOP TO PROTECT THEM REGARDLS OF THE CIRCUMSTANC, BEE WE ARE THKG OF ALL THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS THAT HAVE BEEN SNATCHED OM FOR NO REASON.WHEN A BELOVED BROTHER FAC ALLEGATNS OF VLENCE, PARTICULARLY AGAST WOMEN, WE ARE REMD OF THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS WHO WERE TAKEN AWAY OM FOREVER BEE OF FALSE ACCATNS OF APPROPRIATE BEHAVR, AND WE THK OF THE RACIST PROPAGANDA SIGNED TO ST BLACK MEN AS BT AND SEXUAL TERRORISTS. WE’RE THKG OF EMMETT TILL, OF TRAYVON MART, OF AHMD ARBERY; OF SO MANY MEN AND BOYS MURRED BEE THEY REPRENTED A DANGERO THREAT TO WHE WOMANHOOD.III.“YOU SEE THAT SH ON SH HOUR TRAFFIC? THEY BEAT A BLACK WOMAN’S ASS. THIS WOMAN DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHG WRONG. IT’S FUCKED UP. IT WAS SO FUCKED UP, DIDN’T EVEN GO TO URT. THE CY OF L.A. JT GAVE THAT WOMAN $1.5 LN FOR HER PA AND SUFFERG. THAT IS NOT BAD, NSIRG THAT’S THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT MARS MAIDANA MA TO FIGHT FLOYD MAYWEATHER THE SEND TIME. AND THIS WOMAN OBVLY HASN’T TRAED A DAY HER LIFE. YOU N SEE ON THE TAPE. SHE DIDN’T E TO FIGHT. HER GUARDS WERE LOW. SHE WAS TAKG A LOT OF SHOTS.” —THE AGE OF SP (2017)JT AS CHAPPELLE ADMS THE AGE OF SP TO ADMIRG O.J. SIMPSON AS WELL AS TO BELIEVG THAT SIMPSON MURRED TWO PEOPLE, O.J. SIMPSON DID NOT HAVE BLACK AMERI’S SUPPORT BEE PEOPLE BELIEVED HE WAS NOCENT; WAS A BATN OF APATHY FOR THE VICTIMS (HEY, WE’VE GOT CENTURI OF HISTORY BEG MAIMED AND MURRED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT NEVER FAC NSEQUENC, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN TO OUR HEARTS OVER TIME?) AND THE STCTIVE REFAL TO LET GO OF A BELOVED BLACK MAN. IT’S THE SAME LACK OF EMPATHY—THOUGH UNR VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANC, THAT ALLOWS CHAPPELLE AND OTHERS TO LAMENT NOT THE HARM THAT KEV HART’S HISTORY OF HOMOPHOBIA MIGHT HAVE ED—TO BLACK GAY BOYS PARTICULAR!—BUT, STEAD, TO GRIEVE HIS FELLOW EDIAN’S LOSS OF THE OPPORTUNY TO HOST THE 2019 OSRS.NOT ONLY DO WE NOT NCEL FAMO BLACK MEN, MANY OF SEEM PABLE OF OR UNWILLG TO TLY AL WH WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO BEG THE NVERSATN ABOUT SUPPOSED NCELLATN THE FIRST PLACE. REFG TO BELIEVE WHAT “THEY” (READ: THE SYSTEM, WHE FOLKS) SAY ABOUT OUR MEN ALSO LEAV REFG TO HEAR WHAT VICTIMS ARE SAYG, OR TO THK OF THEIR HUMANY WH THE SAME WEIGHT WE GIVE THAT OF THE ACCED.THE BLACK REACTN TO O.J. SIMPSON WAS THE PERFECT STORM OF A LOT OF THGS, CLUDG OUR MANY ISSU AROUND WHE WOMEN AND BLACK MEN (THE HISTORY OF LI, VLENCE, AND RACIAL TERROR ON WHE WOMEN’S PART, THE BOUNDARY CROSSED BY THE MEN). BUT WHEN THE ALLEGED VICTIM IS BLACK, THE LLS FOR RACIAL SOLIDARY ON BEHALF OF THE ACCED ARE STILL CLEARLY HEARD, AND HEED.CHRIS BROWN’S ABE OF RIHANNA SPURNED UNTLS BAT AMONG OVER WHETHER THE ASSLT THAT BEME PUBLIC WAS AN ATTACK OR A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE; ONCE THE IMAGE OF THE BARBADIAN SGER’S BTALIZED FACE HALTED THAT ROUTE OF FENSE (THOUGH SOME SAID SHE SIMPLY LOST THE FIGHT), BROWN WAS ST AS A TROUBLED YOUNG MAN NEED OF OUR SYMPATHY, NOT CRICISM. A SUBSEQUENT GIRLIEND WOULD ALSO ALLEGE DOMTIC VLENCE, PICTUR OF HIM PHYSILLY TIMIDATG HER WOULD BEE A MEME. BROWN HAS NEVER BEE THE LEVEL OF MASTREAM STAR HE WAS ONCE POISED TO BE, BUT HE HAS REMAED SUCCSFUL ON THE R&B CHARTS.KANYE WT SAID SLAVERY WAS A CHOICE, WORE BLUE NTACTS AS A GROWN-ASS ADULT BLACK MAN AND ONCE RAPPED, “MY BCH MAKE YOUR BCH LOOK LIKE PREC,” G THE TLE CHARACTER OM THE HEARTBREAKG 2009 FILM TO IMPLY THAT HIS (WHE) WOMAN WAS SO FE, SHE MAK (BLACK) BCH LOOK FAT, BLACK(ER), (AND TH) UGLY BY PARISON. AS LONG AS HE N FD HIS WAY TO A GOSPEL CHOIR, ANY REAL MEANGFUL RECKONG WH HIS ACTNS WILL REMA ELIVE, EVEN IF THE CRIQUE MIGHT HAVE MA HIM GROW.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHWHEN TORY LANEZ ALLEGEDLY SHOT MEGAN THEE STALLN’S FEET AS SHE WALKED AWAY OM HIM, SR OF YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO FEND HIM; PLETELY ABSENT OM MOST OF THE TALK OVER DABABY’S NTROVERSIAL BEHAVR LAST SUMMER WAS THE FACT THAT HE ALSO BROUGHT LANEZ OUT AS A SURPRISE GUT DURG HIS ROLLG LOUD MIAMI SET JULY, SEEMGLY TO TROLL THE “WAP” RAPPER (THE APPEARANCE VLATED THE RTRAG ORR OBTAED BY MEGAN AGAST LANEZ, WHO WAS CHARGED WH ASSLT AND WEAPONS POSSSN FOLLOWG THE JULY 2020 CINT; LANEZ, WHO AWAS TRIAL, HAS PLEAD NOT GUILTY). NEED I MENTN THE BLACK PUBLIC’S SUPPORT OF BILL COSBY AND R. KELLY? ALL THE BCH WH ME ARE TIRED.WE LOSE SO MUCH WHEN WE SILENCE VALID CRIQU OF ART, AND PECIALLY WHEN THAT ART HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO HARM. DPE THE PROTTATNS OF GENERATNS OF ARTISTS WHO HAVE ARGUED AGAST THE POSSIBILY OF SUCH A THG, ART N HURT. WOULD CHAPPELLE’S MOST FERVENT SUPPORTERS, PARTICULARLY THE ON FLYG THE “EE SPEECH” BANNER, BE FORTABLE IF NETFLIX STARTED STREAMG THE BIRTH OF A NATN (THE ORIGAL RACIST ONE) OR SIGNED A BIG AL WH A WHE EDIAN WHO SHARED CHAPPELLE’S LOVE FOR THE N-WORD? AND HOW SHOULD PEOPLE WHO FEEL TARGETED BY A PIECE OF ART RPOND IF NOT BY SAYG, “I DON’T LIKE THIS SH”?IV.“SOMETIM, THE FUNNIT THG TO SAY IS MEAN. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT’S A TOUGH POSN TO BE . SO I SAY A LOT OF MEAN THGS, BUT YOU GUYS GOT TO REMEMBER. I’M NOT SAYG TO BE MEAN. I’M SAYG BEE ’S FUNNY.” —THE BIRD REVELATN (2017)THAT ISN’T TO SAY THAT CHAPPELLE ISN’T SCRAPG UP AGAST SOME IMPORTANT TTHS. WHEN HE ASKS WHY IS THAT DABABY FACED MORE SEVERE NSEQUENC FOR G HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE THAN HE DID FOR A SHOOTG CINT A NORTH CAROLA WALMART THAT LEFT A 19-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN AD, HE’S ALMOST ON TO SOMETHG: “YOU N SHOOT AND KILL A N-GGA BUT YOU BETTER NOT HURT A GAY PERSON’S FEELGS.” (CHARG AGAST DABABY RELATED TO THE SHOOTG WERE DROPPED.)PUT THAT WAY, SOUNDS LIKE A REASONABLY MADNG DILEMMA. BUT ONE THAT IMPLI THAT THERE ARE UALLY SUCH NSEQUENC FOR BLACK MEN’S HOMOPHOBIA—OR ANYONE ELSE’S, FOR THAT MATTER. IF WERE THE SE THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON ULD BE HELD ACUNTABLE FOR ANTIGAY RHETORIC OR BEHAVR, THEN WOULDN’T REMA SO PRENT THE LIV OF QUEER PEOPLE. THERE WOULDN’T BE KIDS AND ADULTS KILLG THEMSELV BEE ’S TOO OFTEN SOCIALLY PERMISSIBLE— CHUCH, SCHOOLS, ON THE TER, WORKPLAC, EDY CLUBS—TO MAKE GAY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE SH FOR BEG GAY.ACRDG TO FILMMAKER AND HUMORIST AMBER PHILLIPS, THE STAK ARE JT TOO HIGH FOR SOMEONE LIKE CHAPPELLE (“WH THAT MUCH SPOTLIGHT AND NOTORIETY”) ERASG THE EXISTENCE OF BLACK QUEER AND TRANS PEOPLE: “WHEN DAVE CHAPPELLE RELEAS SOMETHG, I FD MYSELF NVERSATN ABOUT WH MY FAY.” BEE BLACK FOLKS REVERE HIM, HIS THOUGHTS ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE TAKEN SERLY. “IF DAVE CHAPPELLE N IGNORE , THEY N TOO.”THAT IS ALSO NOT TO SAY THAT THERE IS NO RACIAL ELEMENT AT PLAY WHEN TO THE SE OF DABABY. WHEN ONE MAK A BLANKET STATEMENT ABOUT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, THEY ARE MAKG A STATEMENT ABOUT A GROUP THAT CLUS WHE FOLKS, SPECIFILLY WHE MEN, SOME OF WHOM ARE QUE POWERFUL. (EVERY MARGALIZED GROUP HAS PEOPLE POWER; DO NOT SOLVE MUCH FOR THE RT OF , WHICH IS WHY THE OBAMA PRINCY DIDN’T FIX BLACK AMERI ANYMORE THAN CHAPPELLE’S MULTILN-DOLLAR NETFLIX CHECK REFLECTS A PATH UPWARD FOR ANYONE OUTSI OF HIS HOEHOLD AND OFF HIS PAYROLL.) OFFENDG WHE FOLKS IS A CLEAR PATH TO TROUBLE FOR BLACK PEOPLE; THE POWER THEIR FEELGS ABOUT HAVE OVER THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR LIV IS NEVER TO BE UNRTIMATED.DABABY PISSED OFF SOME WHE FOLKS TH HE HAD TO PAY. BUT THAT DO NOT MEAN THAT BLACK GAY PEOPLE ALSO HAVE POWER OVER DABABY, NOR THAT THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS SHIFTED OUR MUNY TO FAVOR THEM. IN FACT, THERE IS SOMETHG HEARTBREAKG ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHILE WHE MONEY N CHALLENGE BLACK HOMOPHOBIA A PROFOUND, PUBLIC WAY, PLEAS FOR RPECT OM BLACK GAY PEOPLE ASKG TO BE TREATED LIKE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE NOT ANSWERED KD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSH“GAY PEOPLE ARE MORI UNTIL THEY NEED TO BE WHE AGA,” CHAPPELLE PLAS THE CLOSER, DISAPPEARG BLACK GAYS, TRANS FOLKS, AND WOMEN TO WHENS A WAY THAT IS NOT AT ALL UNIQUE TO HIM. “SOMEWHERE, BURIED THE NONSENSE, IS AN TERTG AND ACCURATE OBSERVATN ABOUT THE WHE GAY MUNY NVENIENTLY BEG ABLE TO CLAIM WHENS AT WILL,” ROXANE GAY WROTE FOR THE NEW YORK TIM. “THERE’S A PELLG OBSERVATN ABOUT THE RELATIVELY SIGNIFINT PROGRS THE L.G.B.T.Q. MUNY HAS MA, WHILE PROGRS TOWARD RACIAL EQUY HAS BEEN MUCH SLOWER. BUT THE FORMULATNS, THERE ARE NO GAY BLACK PEOPLE.”PHILLIPS SAYS CHAPPELLE’S ERASURE SPEAKS TO HOW MANY BLACK LGBTQ+ PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO NTORT ORR TO EXIST AMONG THEIR OWN PEOPLE, CLUDG LOVED ON. “THERE’S TONS OF JOK AND MEM ABOUT HOW BLACK QUEER PEOPLE HAVE TO HI THEMSELV WHEN THEY’RE MUNY WH THEIR BLACK FAI”—SHE C AN EXAMPLE “NTIE AND HER LTLE IEND,” WHICH POK FUN AT THE TRADN OF QUEER WOMEN TRODUCG TIMATE PARTNERS TO THE FAY AS PLATONIC PANNS. WHEN ICS LIKE CHAPPELLE MAKE BLACKNS A CISHET EXCLIVE EXPERIENCE, “IT HELPS MY FAY PRETEND THE LEVELS OF MY EXISTENCE AREN’T REAL EHER.”THE WORK OF LLG OUT CHAPPELLE IS MA ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT BEE “BLACK MEN HAVE POSNED THEMSELV SOCIETY AS THE EPOME OF BLACKNS,” ACRDG TO PHILLIPS. “SO TO CRIQUE THEM FEELS LIKE YOU’RE CRIQUG BLACK PEOPLE; MEANWHILE, YOU’RE JT TRYG TO GET EE. Y, THERE’S POLICY AND POLICS BUT I WANT TO BE SAFE AT HOME, AT CHURCH, AT THE GROCERY STORE, AND I’M NOT GOG TO GET THERE BY NOT NAMG THE HARM.”IN THE CLOSER, CHAPPELLE ADMS TO RENTG THE PLACE WHERE HE SEEMS TO THK BLACK QUEER FOLK EXIST SOCIETY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ERASG THEM: “I AM JEALO OF GAY PEOPLE, OH, I’M JEALO; I’M NOT THE ONLY BLACK PERSON THAT FEELS THAT WAY…HOW ARE YOU MAKG THAT KD OF PROGRS SO QUICKLY?”WRER RAQUEL WILLIS, A TWTER THREAD, NOT THAT ’S “NVENIENT” FOR MALE ICS LIKE CHAPPELLE TO SCRIBE THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AS WHE: “WH THAT AME, THEY DON’T HAVE TO NTEND WH HOW BLACK CISHET FOLKS OFTEN ENACT (PHYSIL AND PSYCHOLOGIL) VLENCE ON BLACK LGBTQ+ FOLKS.” SHE SCRIB HOW BLACK CISHET MEN STGGLE TO LOTE THEIR OWN INTY RELATN TO BLACK PEOPLE OF OTHER GENRS WHO DO NOT SEE MEN AS THE PNACLE. FURTHERMORE, SHE WR, “THEY FEEL OWED THE POWER THAT WHE CISHET MEN HAVE HISTORILLY HAD, AND THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN . THEY THK WE’VE JUMPED A FEW STEPS THE MARCH TOWARD EQUY ANY TIME THEY’RE HELD ACUNTABLE FOR THEIR TRANSPHOBIA AND QUEERPHOBIA.”IN A WORLD WHERE “BEG SEEN” N BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR ATH, WHEN TO THE EXPERIENC OF BLACK WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, CHAPPELLE SIMPLY CHOOS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE AND V HIS DIENC TO DO THE SAME (UNLS, OF URSE, THERE’S A JOKE TO BE MA AT OUR EXPENSE). IT’S “THE BLACK ASS LIE” THAT SAYS WE SHOULD, AND MT, SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF OUR BELOVED BROTHER TO MAKE VISIBLE, THOUGH HE REGULARLY CLAIMS TO BE SPEAKG ON BEHALF OF BLACK PEOPLE.V.“I AM NOT DIFFERENT TO THE SUFFERG OF SOMEONE ELSE.” —THE CLOSER (2021)IN 2017’S THE AGE OF SP, CHAPPELLE TOOK AIM AT THE CHARG OF MISOGYNY LEVELED AGAST HIM THE PAST WHILE RACKG UP NEW ON. IN AN ALLEGED ENUNTER WH A YOUNG WHE WOMAN WHO CHALLENG CHAPPELLE FOR HIS SOFT APPROACH TO BILL COSBY, CHAPPELLE TURNS THE TABL, ACCG HER OF BEG SENSIVE FOR FAILG TO NSIR HOW HARD IS FOR HIM AS A THEN “42-YEAR-OLD BLACK EDIAN” LOSG HIS “HERO” FOR DOG “SOMETHG SO HEO.” CHAPPELLE, AS A VERY GROWN ADULT, TOLD SOMEONE HE SCRIBED AS “YOUNG,” WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A RAPE VICTIM HERSELF, THAT WAS VERY PAFUL FOR HIM TO BE THE FAN OF A RAPIST. IF THIS IS HOW THE GREAT ON THK OF SUCH A DAMNG VOLUME OF RAPE ALLEGATNS, WHAT N WE EXPECT OF THOSE WHO AREN’T SO WISE? AND/OR THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM FOR HIS WISDOM?IN THE EXCHANGE, HE REMDS HIS TRACTOR THAT “WE [MEANG MEN WHO ARE LLED MISOGYNISTS, PERHAPS] ALL HAVE WIV,” AND TH N’T REALLY HATE WOMEN. HE THEN LEVERAG HIS OPPRSN AGAST HERS AND CIS THAT THERE IS NOTHG SHE N TELL HIM THAT HE DON’T KNOW: “HOW ARE YOU AS A YOUNG WHE WOMAN GONNA YELL AT A BLACK MAN?…YOU SUFFER, BUT NOT LIKE .”BUT WHAT ABOUT THE “” WHO DO SUFFER LIKE HIM AND OTHERWISE? “THE BLACK ASS LIE” RENRS BLACK WOMEN’S UNIQUE SUFFERG AT THE TERSECTN OF RACIAL AND GENR-BASED OPPRSNS SOMEHOW VISIBLE.IT’S A MOTHERFUCKER OF A LIE, LERALLY.AN OFT REPEATED LE OM THAT SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDG HOW WHE WOMEN HAVE BENEFTED OM THEIR WHENS, AND HOW WHE WOMANHOOD IS POSNED SOCIETY, WHILE TAKG THIS SEEMGLY FEMIST WOMAN TO TASK FOR DARG TO PLA: “YOU WAS ON THE HEIST, YOU JT DON’T LIKE YOUR CUT.” CHAPPELLE IS SO RIGHT ABOUT A PART OF A PLITED RACIAL EQUATN, BUT LOS THE THREAD WH HIS ABILY TO REGNIZE THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE:1. BLACK2. PEOPLE3. MATTER.WE WEREN’T ON THE HEIST, WE WERE PART OF THE THEFT—RIGHT ALONGSI OUR MEN. WE CLUNG TO LIFE THE BOWELS OF TRANSATLANTIC WOON SHIPS RIGHT ALONGSI THEM, WE TOILED THE FIELDS RIGHT ALONGSI THEM. BUT WHEN WAS TIME FOR MASSA, OR WHATEVER OTHER WHE MAN WANTED A PIECE OF , WE WERE ON OUR OWN, POWERLS AND VAD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHIT ISN’T JT RAPE’S ROLE MY PERSONAL STORY THAT MAK ME HOSTILE TO RAPE JOK THAT TARGET THE VICTIM, AS OPPOSED TO ADDRSG THE RPONSIBLE PARTY. IT’S THE WEIGHT THE RAPE HOLDS ANCTRAL MEMORY. THE RAPE OF BLACK WOMEN STAED AN UNPAID LABOR FORCE THIS UNTRY. THE RAPE OF BLACK WOMEN BY WHE MEN HAS LONG BEEN NSIRED NO CRIME AT ALL. THE RAPE OF BLACK WOMEN BY BLACK MEN IS WAVED OFF BEE WE N’T PUT “GOOD BLACK MEN” “THE SYSTEM,” AND BIS, UNLS THERE WAS A GUN OR A KNIFE, HOW MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE WAS A RAPE THE FIRST PLACE? RAPE AS EDY? I’LL PASS. AS CHAPPELLE SAID THE BIRD REVELATN, “EVERYTHG IS FUNNY UNTIL HAPPENS TO YOU.” IT SHOULDN’T BE THAT WAY. ESPECIALLY NOT BETWEEN SO-LLED BROTHERS AND SISTERS.WHEN SHE WAS 19, THE ACTOR GABRIELLE UNN WAS PREPARG TO CLOSE THE RETAIL STORE WHERE SHE WORKED WHEN SHE SPOTTED A MAN WHO MA HER UNFORTABLE. SHE WANTED TO REACT, TO PROTECT HERSELF SOMEHOW, SHE WR HER FIRST MEMOIR, BUT SHE STEAD THOUGHT ABOUT THE SORT OF RACIAL PROFILG HER WHE LLEAGU ROUTELY ENGAGED AND DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE THE BROTHER FEEL BAD. SHE PERFORMED WHAT SHE SCRIBED AS “RACIAL SOLIDARY” OUT OF A SENSE OF OBLIGATN TO THIS STRANGER, AS WELL AS HER WOMANLY DUTY TO BE “POLE” AND MAKE OTHERS FEEL FORTABLE. THE MAN RAPED HER.WEEKS AFTER I GRADUATED OM HOWARD, I WAS RAPED AND ROBBED A D.C. SUBURB. CONVCED THAT THE TECTIV WEREN’T GOG TO LOOK FOR THE GUY ANYWAY (THE DISTERTED WHE TECTIVE FELL JT SHORT OF ACCG ME OF MAKG THE WHOLE THG UP), AND AAID OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO SOME RANDOM BLACK DU IF THEY DID—BEE I KNOW HOW EASILY ANY BLACK MAN N “F THE PROFILE” OF A RAPIST SOME PEOPLE’S EY—I LIED AND SAID MY ATTACKER WAS WHE. SOMEHOW, THIS TAIL SEEMED TO GIVE MY LOVED ON SOME FORT. TELLG THE STORY THIS WAY MA EASIER FOR ME AS WELL.A YOUNG WOMAN I MET AT A MP FOR SURVIVORS OF VLENCE ONCE SHARED THAT HER OLR BROTHER HAD RAPED HER REPEATEDLY WHEN SHE WAS A GIRL, BUT THAT SHE’D KEPT A SECRET FOR FEAR THAT THE POLICE WOULD GET VOLVED AND KILL HIM. MAYA ANGELOU FAMOLY WROTE OF GOG SILENT FOR UPWARD OF FIVE YEARS AS A CHILD AFTER LEARNG THAT THE MAN WHO RAPED HER HAD BEEN KILLED, BELIEVG HER WORDS—NOT HIS ACTNS—WERE TO BLAME FOR HIS ATH. IF ICS LIKE CHAPPELLE KNEW THE BELLS THAT RAPE RGS FOR BLACK WOMEN, WOULD THEY RG THEM SO EELY? I HOPE NOT.VI.“MY PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN WH TRANSGENR PEOPLE. MY PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN WH THE DIALOGUE ABOUT TRANSGENR PEOPLE. I JT FEEL LIKE THE THGS SHOULD NOT BE DISCSED ONT OF THE BLACKS. IT’S FUCKG SULTG, ALL THIS TALK ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE FEEL SI. SCE WHEN HAS AMERI GIVEN A FUCK HOW ANY OF FEEL SI?” —EQUANIMY (2017)WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST ABOUT THE CLOSER AND MUCH OF CHAPPELLE’S SCHTICK RECENT YEARS IS THAT HE’S PLAYG WH OUR PA THE NAME OF HUMOR, AND PRETENDG TO ADVANCE THE RACE CONVERSATN WHILE DOG QUE THE OPPOSE. WE LOSE SO MUCH TIME AND SPACE HAVG THE SAME ARGUMENTS REPEATEDLY THE MOMENTS. TIME THAT ULD BE SPENT MUNY BUILDG IS LOST TO BATG WHETHER OR NOT ’S OKAY FOR A WEALTHY, FLUENTIAL MAN TO SAY HORRIBLE THGS ABOUT A MARGALIZED GROUP BEE HE, TOO, IS A MEMBER OF A MARGALIZED GROUP. AND FOR THOSE OF WHO’VE SPENT A GREAT AL OF TIME NSIRG WHAT MEANS TO LIVE AT THE TERSECTN (WORD TO KIMBERLé CRENSHAW) OF RACISM AND SEXISM, AND/OR RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA, OR TRANSPHOBIA, N FEEL ABSOLUTELY MADNG TO WATCH PARTS OF YOUR EXISTENCE BATED AS THOUGH THE WORLD IS UNSURE WHETHER YOU’RE EVEN TO BEG WH.SPEAKG WHEN CHAPPELLE RECEIVED THE MARK TWA PRIZE FOR EDY 2019, IEND AND FORMER COMEDY CENTRAL LLEAGUE JON STEWART REFLECTS WHAT SEEMS TO BE A MON OBSERVATN AMONG CHAPPELLE’S CELEBRY PALS: “THGS HAPPEN ‘DAVE WORLD’ THAT JT DON’T HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE.” THAT BEGS A QUTN ABOUT HOW HARD MAY BE FOR A RICH AND FAMO BLACK MAN WHO LIV A CHARMED LIFE FULL OF DGS, CELEBRY ACCS, AND WHE IENDS TO BROADLY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF “THE BLACKS.”DURG AN IMPROMPTU CHAT RECENTLY, THOR AND LUMNIST DAMON YOUNG, MED ABOUT CHAPPELLE’S EMBRACE OF HIS OWN HYPE, POTG OUT THAT HE WASN’T SOME “SOOTHSAYER TTH TELLER EDIAN” FOR MOST OF HIS REER AND THAT HE’S POPULAR WH WHE PEOPLE BEFORE BLACK FOLKS FELL LOVE WH HIM, MAKG HIS TRANSFORMATN TO BIG BROTHER ALMIGHTY SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE. “HE’S A SUBURBAN KID WHO LIV WH HIS ASIAN WIFE AND HIS BIRACIAL CHILDREN ON A FARM SURROUND BY WHE FOLKS, BUT WE’VE MA HIM TO MUFASA OR MORPHS.” THAT’S NOT TO SAY HE N’T BE THAT FIGURE, BUT HE’S NOT DOG THE WORK NECSARY IF MORE THAN HALF THE POPULATN OF N-GGAS A’T EVEN N-GGAS TO HIM THE FIRST PLACE.SOME OF CHAPPELLE’S CELEBRY PALS HAVE STOOD APART THE DTRY FOR RAISG THEIR VOIC SUPPORT OF THE MARGALIZED GROUPS AND HE OFTEN MOCKS, CLUDG THE SURVIVOR-LED #METOO MOVEMENT. FOUNR TARANA BURKE WISH THEY’D TAP THE EDIAN ON THE SHOULR ON BEHALF OF HER WORK WHICH THE IC HAS MOCKED ON MULTIPLE OCSNS. SHE’S LEFT ON HER OWN, SPE THE WAYS THE VERY MEN HAVE CLAIMED TO BE DOWN FOR THE E: “I’VE TALKED TO YOU. I’VE KICKED WH YOU, BUT Y’ALL STILL WOULD NOT PULL HIS AT AND BE LIKE…‘IT’S NOT OKAY TO DIMISH THIS WORK…. IT’S NOT OKAY TO MALIGN THIS MOVEMENT.’”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYADAM SANDLER FDS LOW-KEY TRIUMPH YOU ARE SO NOT INVED TO MY BAT MZVAHBY SAVANNAH WALSHNETFLIX’S MURDGH MURRS IS OFFICIALLY RETURNG FOR SEASON 2: EXCLIVEBY SAVANNAH WALSHAS THE LATE MOTHER ANGELOU TOLD CHAPPELLE THEIR 2006 DIALOGUE FOR SUNDANCE CHANNEL’S INOCLASTS SERI, “PEOPLE LIVE DIRECT RELATN TO THE HERO THEY HAVE.” WHEN A BLACK MAN IS MA A HERO FOR SPEAKG OUT ABOUT RACE, WHILE SPEAKG DOWN ON WOMEN AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, THERE IS A CLEAR MSAGE SENT ABOUT THE HIERARCHY OF LOVE AND NEEDS.WHEN CHAPPELLE BELTL THE BCH, HE LEVERAG THE DISREGARD FOR TO HIS ADVANTAGE, AND NSIRG HOW LOYAL THE BLACK BCH HAVE BEEN TO HIM, WE DON’T SERVE THAT.DURG A LATE-NIGHT FEEDG SSN FOR MY THEN SIX-MONTH-OLD DGHTER AUGT OF 2013, I SAW A SERI OF TWEETS OM A WOMAN WHO HAD ATTEND A CHAPPELLE NCERT HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. IT SEEMED HE’D BEEN HECKLED ONSTAGE BY A LARGELY WHE DIENCE AT A EDY FTIVAL AND HAD REFED TO TELL ANY JOK PROTT. THE WOMAN, LLI-ANN LEWIS, WAS FENDG CHAPPELLE, AS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND PRS BEGAN TO SURFACE. WORKG AS A DIGAL EDOR FOR EBONY, I IMMEDIATELY SPNG TO ACTN, MISSNG A STORY OM LEWIS AND TERVIEWG A BLACK WOMAN WHOM CHAPPELLE HAD ENGAGED WH OM THE STAGE. I KNEW WAS MY DUTY, AS A BLACK WOMAN AND AS A BLACK EDOR, TO ENSURE THAT THE STORY OF THAT SHOW WAS NOT TOLD ONLY BY WHE FOLKS WHO ULD NEVER UNRSTAND WHY YELLG OUT TCHPHRAS OM A WILDLY POPULAR SKETCH SHOW ULD FEEL SO HURTFUL TO THE BROTHER WHO’D MA THEM.“THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF ASKG AIN-AMERINS TO ENDURE RACISM SILENTLY,” LEWIS WROTE OF THE ROWDY, DNKEN DIENCE OF THE SORT OF FANS THAT LED THE IC TO LEAVE CHAPPELLE’S SHOW BEHD. “IT’S CHARACTERIZED AS GRACE, AS STRENGTH.”THE BLACK BCH TOO, ARE EXPECTED TO ENDURE SILENTLY ON A REGULAR BASIS. SOMETIM, THE STAK ARE LIFE AND ATH; OTHER TIM, ’S JT A MATTER OF GETTG THROUGH A EDY SHOW.I LOVE DAVE CHAPPELLE BEE HE’S MY BROTHER, BUT I DON’T LOVE HIM ENOUGH TO PRETEND HIS WORDS HURT LIKE STICKS AND LIKE STON, AND THAT WOULDN’T BE ANY WAY TO LOVE ON “ONE OF OUR GREAT ON ANYWAY.” HE CLOSED THE CLOSER AGA, VOWG SILENCE ABOUT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE UNTIL “WE ARE BOTH SURE WE ARE LGHG TOGETHER.” I HOPE HE HOLDS TO , BUT I ALSO HOPE HE KNOWS THAT MIGHT MEAN LGHG AT PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO HOME FOR HIM: WHE FOLKS—SPECIFILLY THE ON WHO GOT TO ALL THIS SH. AND THAT’S NOT TO SAY THE OPPRSOR THAT WE FEEL FORTABLE NAMG IS THE ONLY GROUP WHO N BE TARGETED FOR JOK, BUT HE’D DO BETTER STARTG THERE—AND/OR TAKG A SEASON OR TWO OFF AND TAPPG THE ACCS HE HAS TO THE GREATT THKERS THE WORLD, MANY OF WHOM WOULD GLADLY HELP HIM FIGURE OUT A FEW THGS SO HE DON’T HAVE TO “PUNCH” DOWN TO LGH ANYMORE.THE BLACK BCH ARE HURTG AT BT, DYG AT WORST. WE ARE NEED OF FULL-THROATED CLARATNS OF LOVE AND ACTS OF SERVICE RPONSE TO THE ANIZG WE’VE DONE, THE RE THAT WE’VE GIVEN, THE WAYS THAT WE’VE SUFFERED AT HOME AND BEYOND. WE NEED OUR BROTHERS TO STOP HURTG WH IMPUNY, THEN ACTG AS IF RACISM GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO DO SUCH A THG. WE NEED DAVE CHAPPELLE TO LEARN THE TTH ABOUT —AND HIMSELF—STEAD OF SPREADG LI AND LLG THE BLACK SI OF THE STORY.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— TV STAR SARAH WYNTER’S BATTLE WH POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS— CARíONA BALFE’S CELTIC CONQUT, FROM OUTLANR TO BELFAST— THE BT MOVI AND SHOWS STREAMG ON NETFLIX THIS MONTH— 21 WARDROBE WNERS INSPIRED BY AND JT LIKE THAT…— WHAT VIVIAN VANCE DIDN’T LOVE ABOUT I LOVE LUCY— THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ROSANNE BOYLAND, A CAPOL RTER— INSECURE’S NATASHA ROTHWELL CAN DO IT ALL— FROM THE ARCHIVE: JOAN DIDN, OUR LADY OF L.A.— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”JAAH LEMIX
Wayans spoke to ESSENCE about rvg her own reer edy as an openly gay Black woman and whout the help of her last name. * gay black woman comedian *
Hannah Gadsby, for example, speaks about growg up as a lbian Tasmania, where homosexualy was illegal until 1997.