Dave Chappelle performed his standup comedy routine in a surprise video shared on Netflix’s YouTube channel on Friday, June 12.
Chappelle addressed the killing of George Floyd and other Black men who died at the hands of white police officers in America.
The video, titled 8:46, was filmed June 6, at his Dave Chapelle and Friends: A Talk with Punchlines show, in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Throughout the performance, an emotional Chappelle referenced 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck during his attempted arrest, eventually killing him.
“I can’t get that number out of my head because it was my time of birth on my birth certificate,” Chappelle said. “I was born at 8:46 in the morning and they killed this ni**a in 8 minutes and 46 seconds.”
He also blasted CNN anchor Don Lemon for calling out celebrities who took their time speaking out on Floyd’s murder.
“I’m watching Don Lemon… he says where are these celebrities? Has anyone listened to me do comedy, has anyone not listened to me say these things before?
“So now all of a sudden this ni**a expects me to step in front of the streets and talk over the work these people are doing as a celebrity. This is the streets talking for themselves, they don’t need me right now. Why would anyone care what their favorite comedian thinks when they saw a police officer kneel on a man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds?”
Chappelle later took aim at pro-Trump, conservative commentator Candace Owens for characterizing Floyd as a criminal, calling her a “rotten b*tch” and “the worst”.
“I can’t think of a worse way to make money,” he said. “She’s the most articulate idiot I have ever seen in my f**king life. She’s so articulate that she’ll tell you how f**king stupid she is precisely.”
He remarked on Owens’ “stanky pu**y,” saying, “I don’t know if it stinks but I imagine it does. If I ever find out, I’ll let you know for sure. I’ll tell like Azealia Banks, I’ll tell.”
The 46-year-old’s show was the first in-person, concert/comedy show in the U.S. in 87 days, since Covid-19. Social distancing was observed with attendees seated in pairs 6 feet apart, and wearing masks printed with Chappelle’s logo.
No alcohol was served to encourage adherence to the rules.
Like I said, this video is not funny. So, if you’re feeling depressed, it will probably make you feel worse than you did before you clicked play.
