Dave Chappelle’s jokes about sexual misconduct “seem like tired shtick”

The New York Times

Comedy critic Jason Zinoman tackles the controversy generated by Chappelle’s Equanimity special, pointing out that the comedian was rehashing Chris Rock’s old jokes about sexual harassment from the 1990s. “Mr. Chappelle opens this special by noting that sometimes the funniest thing to say is mean, and he’s right,” says Zinoman. “Comedy, to quote Steve Martin, is not pretty. But when Mr. Chappelle says some of the sexual assault victims speaking out are now experiencing ‘buyer’s remorse,’ a particularly cruel turn of phrase, this is surely not the funniest thing he can think of. And it is expressed with as little empathy as possible.” Zinoman adds that Chappelle tries to present himself these days as a comedy statesman. “But,” Zinoman adds, "in this paradigm-shifting moment, when victims are speaking out and revealing secrets long buried, Mr. Chappelle is ignoring the historical context, the systemic barriers preventing women from speaking up about abuse or succeeding in comedy. “

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• "For a guy who seems to be so clear-eyed in matters where black men have been abused, exploited and victimized, Dave Chappelle still has a major blind spot when it comes to everyone else"
• Are Chappelle’s sexual misconduct jokes being taken too seriously? Does Chappelle want to be taken seriously?
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