By Charissa Hudson
September 23, 2019
Dave Chappelle appearing in "Sticks and Stones," his new comedy special on Netflix.
Dave Chapelle's new Netflix special “Sticks and Stones” will have you shaking your head and sniggering at hilariously inappropriate premises within seconds. Touching on subjects such as gun culture, recent celebrity scandals, and the opioid crisis, he brilliantly delivers poignant observations about society without taking us out of the comedy experience.
The show opens with Chappelle performing an acapella version of Prince’s “1999” before immediately delving into the copious amounts of celebrity scandals of 2018-19, including Anthony Bourdain, Michael Jackson, and R. Kelly.
Towards the end of the special, he tells a lengthy story about buying a gun and imagining a scenario where he kills heroin addicts in his kitchen. Finally, he says to the audience, “If you’re in a group I made fun of, then just know I will probably only make fun of you if I see myself in you.” Even though this doesn’t make me automatically agree with his point of view on some of the subjects he mentions, it does help you understand where he is coming from and him making people laugh is him trying to show society that we can disagree without a riot breaking out.
As most people know Chappelle plays devil's advocate on popular issues and defends his point of view in a way that can feel harsh on those with sensitive ears and souls. But for us brash heathens out there with hearts of stone it’s easier for us to enjoy. Though I’m only joking, Chappelle has received backlash from people who have taken the things he said seriously and personally, but I see all the controversial things he says as a good thought exercise. There are two approaches you can have to comedy: You approach it in a way where you decide to step outside yourself and enjoy an hour of escapism. Or you can put your thinking cap on and work through some of the concepts the comedian is presenting. Both of these are valid, but I would argue that the beautiful thing about a Chappelle set is the fact you can laugh, disagree, and leave without being upset. This is his true gift.
⅘ Stars: ****
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