Dave Chappelle tackles George Floyd protests in 8:46, a free surprise Netflix comedy special

Complex

Late Thursday, Netflix posted Chappelle's 27-minute surprise special to YouTube, titled 8:46 after Floyd's killing, that was filmed at a "private pop-up event" last Saturday, June 6, in Yellow Springs, Ohio near his home. In one of the first in-person concert/comedy shows in the U.S. since the coronavirus crisis, Chappelle -- in front of an "intimate, socially distanced" audience -- addressed Floyd's killing, the resulting protests and the media's reaction. "Normally I wouldn't show you something so unrefined, I hope you understand," Chappelle, who's been doing these pop-up shows all week, wrote in a note attached to the video. In the special, Chappelle kept returning to the 8 minutes and 46 seconds that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck. "I can't get that number out of my head because it was my time of birth on my birth certificate," Chappelle said. "I was born at 8:46 in the morning and they killed this n***** in 8 minutes and 46 seconds." Chappelle also ripped CNN's Don Lemon for blasting celebrities by name for not speaking out about Floyd's murder. "I’m watching Don Lemon…he says where are these celebrities?" says Chappelle. "Has anyone listened to me do comedy, has anyone not listened to me say these things before? So now all of a sudden this n***** expects me to step in front of the streets and talk over the work these people are doing as a celebrity…This is the streets talking for themselves, they don’t need me right now. Why would anyone care what their favorite comedian thinks when they saw a police officer kneel on a man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds." Chappelle also brought up Laura Ingraham's "shut up and dribble" hypocrisy when it comes to Drew Brees vs. LeBron James. Additionally, Chappelle explained that he didn't show up to accept his Grammy Award in January because it was the day Kobe Bryant died. "He died the day I won a Grammy," he said. "They had both of his fucking jersey numbers hanging up. 8, 24. Well, that's my birthday. Crying like a baby."