Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Here it is


"Don’t let people kill your spirit. Don’t let this inferiority complex make you try to be accommodating or apologize for who you are."

Like others before him, Dave Chappelle is a comedian who not only tells jokes to make you laugh, but he tells jokes to make you think. His ability to wrap current social issues on racism, sexism, and other topics of the like seems to come to him rather naturally. He comfortably shifts between different atmospheres, and it would appear that he never loses his focus. He dresses up as Tyrone-the crack addict who speaks to elementary children on "drug awareness day", and on the flip side he can sit in an interviewee chair across from James Lipton answering questions on his childhood and on Africa!

In a day and age when a good laugh can be such an amazing form of relief, Dave Chappelle's talent shines. Whether he's on stage at a comedy club or performing a skit for his show on Comedy Central, his honesty is a thing of beauty to behold. Fierce and fearless, Chappelle tickles his audience like a feather...he strikes all the right keys-hits all the right notes...without a doubt, he has successfully created an audience who will remain dedicated and true to him. His tactics have people hooked. He knows no limits, he can do it all. He dresses up as a crack addict and goes to an elementary school for "drug awareness" day, he's a black president Bush... He needs his audience just as much as his audience needs him. The content of the jokes that he tells is sensitive to so many subjects that people of all ages struggle to understand today, and his sly approach comes as a comfort to many in his audience.

His most recent movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party is an awesome portrayal of just how humane he really is. Gathering people of all ages and races, he captivates his audience using one of the greatest communicators known to man today:MUSIC! Chappelle invites everyone from old white women to young dedicated fans to his celebration of hip hop music. It's a unifying experience that includes even the audience in the movie theatre. Lots of footage in this movie is of live musical performances, and I found myself just about clapping after each song. Inspiring.

He is a real, down-to-earth person who so many different individuals can connect to. His ability to draw in such a diverse crowd proves the importance of the subject matter he jokes (speaks) about.

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