by Sebastian Garcia-Guerra, Head of Photography
Comedian Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special “Sticks and Stones” is receiving harsh criticism from viewers for being too controversial, with the amount of jokes some consider to go too far. However, is it logical to call Dave Chappelle controversial for simply doing his job?
Chappelle rose to fame in TV show Chappelle's Show, in which he used his comedic talent in sketches and skits. He later turned to doing stand-up full time in 2013, releasing a total of five Netflix specials. His 2019 stand-up special Sticks and Stones, in particular, has caused backlash, and Chappelle is now facing harsh criticism from viewers. Many consider Sticks and Stones to be controversial for Chappelle’s jokes about polarizing topics, such as the LGBTQ community and the sexual abuse allegations recently leveled against Michael Jackson. Steve Krakauer of NBC reported some viewers think that the jokes are “lazy” and “predictable,” while the director of the Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland called Chappelle’s jokes “completely revolting,” according to the Wrap. However, there are other people who have defended Chappelle, including fellow comedian Jim Gaffigan, who believes people “need to be a little more forgiving and less reactionary.” Gaffigan is right; this is getting out of hand. How can Dave Chappelle be considered controversial if he is simply doing his job?
Dave Chappelle is a comedian, and as a comedian, he is meant to tell jokes and entertain his audience. Some jokes might not be for everyone, which is fair, but is it fair to bash comedians like Chappelle over a joke? Such jokes are not meant to be taken seriously. We live in a world where anyone can consider any comment offensive or controversial, simply because that person doesn’t like what was said. Chappelle has even said that being a comedian has become difficult because one statement made by him can lead to people trying to “cancel” him and cause controversies. People need to come to the understanding that anything that a comedian says as a part of their job should not be taken seriously. If someone watches a stand-up comedian perform and get offended by a joke, why did they go to that performance or click on the Netflix special? What did they expect would happen?