Veteran comedian Dave Chappelle has dropped a surprise free 27-minute comedy special, recorded near his home town in Ohio on June 6, which focuses on the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The special was uploaded by Netflix for free on its YouTube channel.
Chappelle, who first shot to fame as a young stand-up in the early 1990s, is perhaps best known for his Comedy Central sketch show, Chappelle's Show. That show ran for three seasons, and propelled Chappelle to mainstream fame, but it wasn't without its difficulties. In the middle of shooting season 3, Chappelle halted production and fled to Durban, South Africa, to escape the limelight. He returned later to finish season 3, but then almost completely disappeared from the public eye, moving to Ohio and raising his family. In recent years, Chappelle has returned to stand-up, signing a $20 million-a-special deal with Netflix in 2016. The resulting five specials have courted controversy and praise in equal measure, and have seen Chappelle return to the spotlight.
Now, Chappelle has dropped a new special for free via Netflix's YouTube channel as well as other social media platforms. The 27-minute set was filmed in Ohio this past weekend, and show fans entering the show being tested for high temperatures wearing masks and being seated in a socially distant way. The special is an angry, raw and powerful set that focuses on the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. The special's title, 8:46, is a direct reference to how long former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck before he died. Chappelle becomes visibly agitated and upset while discussing Floyd's killing. You can watch the entire special below.
Chappelle also takes the time to delve into other police killings, and connects the targeting of black people by police to America's history of slavery and civil rights abuses. He also touches on the Black Lives Matter protests, saying that he's happy to "sit in the back seat" while the young people who are protesting "take the wheel," as well as paying tribute to Kobe Bryant. The special contains very little humor, a fact Chappelle repeatedly refers to, asking the audience if it is any fun at all.
8:46 feels like a remarkable comedy special in many ways. First, its free release by Netflix marks it out as unique, as well as the fact that it was filmed so close to its release. As a result, it captures the current mood of the country, and makes what Chappelle says feel urgent and important. Secondly, the raw and unfiltered nature of Chappelle's performance sets it apart. The comic strides to the stage drink and cigarette in hand, with a notebook under his arm. He proceeds to deliver an off-the-cuff performance that clearly hasn't been planned out or rehearsed. Accordingly, the special comes across as genuine and at times emotional, and one can feel how important it is to Chappelle.
It is certainly a unique and powerful piece of work from a comic operating at the height of his powers. It should be recommended viewing for anyone interested in the Black Lives Matter protests and looking for answers as to why the killing of George Floyd has sparked such a large movement worldwide.
Source: Netflix