In a new stand-up special, Dave Chappelle rejects the notion that celebrities, like himself, need to comment on the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 6, the American comedian performed for 27 minutes at the Wirrig Pavillion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and spoke about the May 2020 death of George Floyd, along with the subsequent protests. Five days later, Netflix released 8:46 - Dave Chappelle, accompanied by a description reading "From Dave: Normally I wouldn't show you something so unrefined, I hope you understand."
Wearing all black, Chappelle opens the show by acknowledging the "weird" and "less than ideal" circumstances. His opening commentary indirectly acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fact that he hadn't performed live for approximately three months. To begin, Chappelle states that "It's hard to figure out what to say about George Floyd, so I'm not gonna say it yet." He then pauses, briefly engages with the audience, and compares the 30 seconds of fear he felt during the 1994 Northridge earthquake to the eight minutes and 46 seconds that Floyd endured pressure on his neck from police officer Derek Chauvin. "I don't mean to get heavy," Chappelle says in 8:46 on Netflix, "but we got to say SOMETHING" - a comment laced with sarcasm that references his pop culture fame.
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In 8:46 on Netflix, Chappelle shifts his focus to celebrity culture and media personalities who demand statements from influential figures. Specifically, he name-checks CNN anchor Don Lemon upon watching him call out various celebrities who remained silent after Floyd's death. Chappelle addresses his career-long reputation for delivering sociopolitical commentaries on stage, and rejects the concept that he's expected to "step in front of the streets and talk over the work these people are doing." Chappelle then poses a rhetorical question to the audience, one that's tinged with pop culture humor but also relevant to his main argument: "Do we give a f**k what Ja Rule thinks?"
Chappelle also reminds the audience that silence doesn't equate to complicity. He condemns the performative aspect of celebrity commentaries, stating "I know ALL these songs. I was RAISED on these songs." Chappelle then connects his opinions to the title's premise, revealing that 8:46 was also his time of birth, all the while squeezing in a comedic jab at Azealia Banks, who recently implied on Instagram that she had an affair with the comedian.
As for CNN's Lemon, he responded to Chappelle on-air, and identified him as his favorite comic. Lemon notes that he agrees with Chapelle, stating "I think the establishment is a bit behind." On the flip side, he says that "this is not a moment for modesty" and suggests that there's "irony" in Chappelle making the statements on a platform like Netflix.
Chappelle closes 8:46 on Netflix with a personal anecdote that connects to Floyd calling out to his deceased mother before passing away. The comedian reveals that his great-grandfather, William David Chappelle, once led a black delegation who protested a hate crime and appealed to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. The stand-up act comes full-circle when Chappelle reveals that William David Chappelle's wife, a former slave, was indeed the woman he referenced earlier in the act; the same person that his father called out to before death, much like Floyd spoke of his own mother. Finally, Dave Chapelle says that he didn't immediately make a public statement after the murder of George Floyd because he understands what he's seeing. "These streets will speak for themselves whether I am alive or dead."
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