Let's imagine that Dave Chappelle isn't crazy. Let's imagine that he is a brilliant satirist and that a great number of Americans think so. Let's imagine that he has come up with stuff that is so controversial and funny that it became a staple of comedy and because of this he has made millions of dollars. Now let's imagine that somebody somewhere said that he was doing so at the expense of the image of black people. In fact, let's imagine that that somebody was ohh, say Bill Cosby or Oprah Winfrey. What do you think would happen to Dave Chappelle?
I think that's what happened. Why? Because of this, The Chappelle Theory. This is the biggest bombshell, or the most outrageous conspiracy ever to hit pop culture. It's huge. Here's the thumbnail sketch. Sharpton, Farrahkan, Cosby, Winfrey, Jackson, the five greatest oxygen suckers in all of black America formed a joint task force to derail Chappelles Show. Why? Because of his negative portrayals of black people. It came to threats and intimidation on his family.
Now if you read the whole thing, it might seem a little outrageous, but let me give you some personal perspective as a black Republican. Do not doubt the willingness of blackfolks to destroy someone they feel is a traitor to the race. It doesn't take much to convince some people that someone is a sellout, that they hate blackness and black people and that they essentially live for the comfort of whitefolks. It's the atom bomb of blackness and it has been dropped on a lot of black heads, including this writer's head. Today, I don't have any powerful enemies, but I've stepped on enough toes to know what enemies would do if they could. Cosby can if he wants, and dirt has been done to him. So I don't doubt for a minute, given his track record with Eddie Murphy, that Chappelle has been on the bad end of Cosby's ire. You know he still thinks he's America's Dad, and dad has a bad attitude.
But if you're still not convinced, think of it this way. Chappelle is 'gangsta comedy' and like gangsta rap, it is consumed and made prosperous by millions of young white suburban males. In other words, whitefolks are making Chappelle rich and all Chappelle is doing is mocking black culture. So what's up with that?
I think Chappelle is hilarious, and I think that he's so close to black popular culture that his skewering of it is more on target than anyone else's. He has gone there, and he's paid the price. The question is whether or not black culture, or rather we should say the Dark Crusaders against Chappelle have the stomach to handle a little ribbing. Apparently not. So long as they can see Chappelle as the target of white money and he embarrasses them, he's in trouble.
This is going to get a whole lot uglier before it gets better. I'm watching closely.
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