Dave Chappelle is the new George Carlin. On top of his game, intense comedic evolution, always has the audience captured and trying to catch up, and tossing subtle hints and truth bombs in between jokes that range from crass to smart; from deep to sometimes absolutely random.
With Sticks and Stones, Chappelle has definitely found a more comfortable environment with Netflix on which he can continue his passion, which had always been stand-up, even during the peak years of Chappelle Show. With his latest special, he doesn’t miss a single beat, and tosses haymakers in equal opportunity offender fashion. At this point, you know his comedy, and you know there are no limits. So as long as you are willing to go on this journey with Chappelle, it will be a guaranteed excellent time. The audience in Atlanta were treated to one hell of a show.
The most fascinating thing about Chappelle is that he is a skilled comedian with the heart of a poet and the intellect of a thespian—and even to this day doesn’t quite get much credit for combining real-life lessons and deep questions with jokes about penises. Part of the struggle with Chappelle Show in its heyday was because although the content was spectacular, and it was generating an ever-growing cult audience, there was a fraction of the viewership that were missing the points and the overall message. Chappelle wanted to go smarter, and Comedy Central notoriously was pushing back and wanting more of the crude and random. Chappelle wanted comedy with underlying messages, while the network wanted the quick bite comedic insanity of your best Saturday Night Live combined with racist banter that appeals to all audiences while lacking the urban edge that would usually alienate white audiences.
Dave Chappelle’s beginnings with Def Jam, HBO, Comedy Central, and the New York comic circle made Comedy Central not really realize just how smart and how progressive the comedian was becoming. Even during the Chappelle Show’s explosive yet short run he was in stand-up circles evolving his art, getting stronger and stronger. Soon, the crossroads hit: Comedy Central tossed more money, were prepared to make it difficult for him to remain in stand-up, and Chappelle was losing respect in his performances with hecklers and people that were wanting Chappelle Show and not Dave Chappelle. So he leaves the game, for an entire decade.
But you never leave your first love.
Netflix gives him the opportunity of a lifetime: $20 million per special, seeing his excellent track record and seeing the best way to get the best of Chappelle is to keep him behind the microphone in small and medium-sized comedy clubs across the country. Chappelle isn’t aiming for the giant Madison Square Garden crowds, he likes the more intimate settings, he enjoys the ability to see specific people in the audience for reactions. With this space and freedom of expression (also thanks to Netflix’s uncut content ways), he delivered four consecutive successful and standout specials. Crazy thing is that the previous two could have been his final special, he could have retired, walked away, and remain one of the 10 best comedians of all-time (Personally, he’s in my top 4).
But he wanted more.
Sticks and Stones hits deep immediately. He starts with a small tribute to Prince, and a wild comparison between Anthony Bourdain and a former law student whom he randomly ran into years later. The punchline was phenomenal, but there was so much depth behind the tale you might need a couple viewings to understand what he was trying to say (similar to the Bottom Bitch story from The Bird Revelation).
From then on we hit the main theme of the show: how to remain artistically reckless yet socially responsible in a world that’s always seeking equality but sometimes within a hypocritical law and order. Chappelle’s position as arguably the best comedian in the game was supported by disappearing for a decade and seeing the likes of Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, Dane Cook and even the seemingly invincible Kevin Hart take the mantle and rise to stardom, only to see their careers tank with demons of the past popping up and having to atone for certain behavior.
So he approaches the sensitive Me Too topic with bravado, revealing that people are right to seek a better America, but sometimes the cost becomes greater than anticipated, and it will sometimes derail the careers of people that didn’t deserve such heavy setbacks. He also secretly compares the issues of today with issues of the past and how Americans respond to them depending on ethnicity, social standing, and orientation. His connections between drug crises throughout American history was especially chef’s kiss worthy.
Dave Chappelle’s biggest controversies in recent years has been the transphobia accusations as well as sometimes pushing the envelope a bit on the LGBTQ+ humor. But Dave being Dave, targets the subject head-on and doesn’t pull any punches. George Carlin became a countercultural comedian in his peak and final years with his constant attacks against government, religion, and political correctness. What allowed Carlin to openly and wildly go off without much repercussion is his ability to have depth to his statements, his punchlines, and the underlying obviousness that he is still a people’s person and will fight for you. Chappelle is in the same category: he will fight for you, he will battle for justice, but not without a few good barbs during the search.
It’s rather hard to really describe the special without spoiling the jokes, but quite simply this is required viewing if you are a fan of comedy; and will require a second viewing to catch some of the jokes you missed the first time around. Dave Chappelle when given freedom will deliver some of the greatest stand-up material in the history of the medium. It’s raw, its flawless storytelling, clever comedic structure, and unexpected punchlines. In other words, it’s Dave Freakin’ Chappelle, unchained, and unafraid, and in my eyes he’s one of the greatest ever. A decade and a half removed from his creative peak (between 2000-2004), the man can still weave a good story and a good joke better than the best of them.