I'm posting this in honor of February which is Black History month. This profiles the Black comedian Dave Chapelle. There is also an article about the Black actor Reginald Nelson.
Aug. 8, 2017 "A steadier Dave Chappelle talks politics, gender and race at Radio City": Today I found this article by Jason Zinoman in the Globe and Mail. I'm not really a fan of his. I have seen a little bit of his show and his stand up act. My little brother likes him. This is a good interview.
Feb. 6, 2021: I reread this article. I then told this to my brother P and he remembers this joke:
Chappelle asks emphatically: How far is Dolezal willing to go to become black? “Are you willing to refinance your house,” he says, pausing for the first wave of laughter before finishing the sentence, “so you can invest in a mixtape that won’t pan out?”
Here's the article:
Dave Chappelle is the only artist alive who would close a comedy show by finding a ray of hope in our current political situation through a poetic recounting of the tragic murder of Emmett Till.
No reviewer’s recounting can do justice to his intricate, virtuosic storytelling, so you will have to buy a ticket to Chappelle’s show at Radio City Music Hall to find out how he pulls off this feat. As audacious as it is, this set piece is also an example of how his singular daring can be in tension with a comic’s instinct to be as funny as he or she can be.
There’s no joke at the end of this bit. Instead, Chappelle says that he has had trouble sleeping since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected. His new set exudes the weary tone of many following the daily bombshells in the news, with Chappelle even expressing second thoughts about his Saturday Night Live monologue after the election, in which he said he would give Trump a chance.
Chappelle hasn’t just started a 3 1/2-week stand-up run, which ends on his birthday on Aug. 24, when he’ll turn 44. He’s producing a massive cultural festival, headlining with a lineup of some of the greatest comedians of colour in the United States (Chris Rock, Leslie Jones, Ali Wong, Trevor Noah) along with top-shelf musical acts (Solange, Lauryn Hill, Chance the Rapper, Ice Cube). By presenting in the sleepy month of August, he turns Radio City into the most exciting party in New York.
Chappelle has always had an instinct for showmanship, honed from doing stand-up since the age of 14. His new show starts theatrically, with the comedian ascending from beneath the floor of the stage under a ring of lights and over a cloud of smoke. Puffing on a cigarette, he wears what has become his customary military jacket with his last name printed over his left breast pocket. This uniform makes him look more formal and severe than he did in his earlier days.
His stage persona has changed too, with less animated physicality and a faster, raspier delivery. Chappelle’s jokes once moseyed before they exploded. They’re steadier now, quicker to start, but less likely to dart off in wild directions. And his voice doesn’t range as much, staying in a deeper register.
Some of his agility and mischievousness has been replaced with an increased narrative ambition, rooted in a confidence in his ability to get a laugh so firm that he goes deep into ideas without a punchline.
This strategy has risks, which he not only embraces but also luxuriates in.
As he often does, Chappelle tells a story of getting booed onstage – this time it was about a show in Cleveland after making a joke about a killer at large there (along with the nearly-as-provocative admission that he’s a Warriors fan).
Another time, he introduces a bit about Michael Jackson by saying it’s not going to work. (It did OK, but not nearly as well as his jokes on the same material from his 2004 special For What It’s Worth, one of the best this century has produced).
Chappelle likes the high-wire act of comedy, using the tension produced by wading into polarizing, treacherous material to set up the release that laughter provides. It’s why he has long avoided taking on Rachel Dolezal (he says it’s too easy), but in one of his funniest tangents, he confesses he can’t stop thinking about her.
It’s no surprise that the comedian – who included in the first episode of Chappelle’s Show a sketch about Clayton Bigsby, a blind black man who thinks he’s white – is drawn to a white woman who identifies as black.
Chappelle asks emphatically: How far is Dolezal willing to go to become black? “Are you willing to refinance your house,” he says, pausing for the first wave of laughter before finishing the sentence, “so you can invest in a mixtape that won’t pan out?”
No comedian has done more confident and nuanced work about the fluidity of race; think of his inspired “racial draft” sketch, which began with an idea from Bryan Tucker, the current co-head writer of Saturday Night Live. But Chappelle finds himself on more unsure footing when it comes to gender.
In his recent Netflix special, he drew considerable criticism for his jokes about transgender people in which he took umbrage at having to change his “pronoun game” for what he referred to crudely as someone else’s “self-image.”
In this new show, he tells a story of a fan who expresses hurt over such material, which leads Chappelle to examine himself. What follows is both fascinating and frustrating, searching and often funny.
Like his material about Emmett Till, it’s organized like an onion, with an initial response peeled away to find a different one which leads to a third and most absurd finale.
Some of the biggest laughs of the show come from the transitional line he uses more than once: “But if I’m honest.”
Chappelle makes earnest pleas for treating transgender people with respect and even praises their courage relative to Dolezal. But when he goes deeper into his own feelings, he returns to the frame of race.
He finds the discussion about sensitivity toward transgender “reeks of white privilege” and wonders pointedly why it’s easier for Caitlyn Jenner to change gender than it was for Cassius Clay to change his name?
This is one of those lines that gets not a laugh but a kind of audible nod of the head – or, to be more precise, a “hmmm” that suggests an idea has lit up the minds of audience members.
Chappelle gets more of this kind of feedback than most comics. Increasingly, he searches them out, which is part of why he remains one of the most compelling figures in popular culture.
At his best, Chappelle proves that thoughtfulness can make a joke funnier. Making smart comedy that is argumentative and funny is not a zero sum game, but his first performance of a long residency at Radio City does occasionally makes you wonder if it is.
"A hard road to making it in LA": Today I found this article by Brooks Barnes in the Globe and Mail. I don't know who he is, but I thought this was a positive article where Reginald Nelson was homeless and he lifts himself up out of poverty:
Reginald Nelson’s pursuit of stardom landed him on the streets – but there’s a twist to this aspiring actor’s story
Reginald Nelson moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to become a star.
Yes, his dream was a cliché. But he figured he had a better shot than most people. He had studied theatre at Howard University with Taraji P. Henson, whose career was then taking off.
While performing in Chicago, Nelson had become acquainted with David Schwimmer, the Friends alum and a founder of that city’s Lookingglass Theatre Co.
Instead, Nelson ended up on Skid Row.
“I was having a hard time getting attention in auditions,” Nelson said. “Then my mom got sick, and I was embarrassed to ask for help with the bills.” He added, “I slept on park benches and finally found the Union Rescue Mission, where I got some health care myself. By that point, I was clinically depressed.”
That was 2014. Ready for the plot twist?
In May, while still living at the mission, Nelson, 44, got a call on his cellphone from a former Howard classmate, Neil Lewis. They had not been in touch for years, but Lewis, who had found some traction as an actor, had unbelievable news.
Remember that scripted podcast they created in 2010? BET wanted to buy it as source material for a possible TV series.
Their old audio project, The Primordials, told the story of African deities living in contemporary New Orleans. Lewis and his lawyer confirmed the BET deal. A BET spokeswoman declined to comment.
Even if a series never materializes – most pilot ideas die – the BET money allowed Nelson to sign a lease for an apartment. (He declined to say how much BET paid for The Primordials. He also works two restaurant jobs.)
As he gets back on his feet, Nelson has high hopes for another audio drama called Red Sun, about a modern-day samurai. Over the past few years, he has produced several episodes, using libraries and coffee shops as an office.
“I got a lucky break with BET,” he said. “But I never stopped trying to lift myself up.”
Feb. 18, 2021 Black Lives Matter issues on TV shows:
1. Deputy: This show came out in Jan. 2020. There was a scene where Deputy Joseph Harris was playing basketball and two cops come and point guns at him. He is black.
2. This is Us: Randall who is black and is talking to his daughter's boyfriend Malik (who is black) about the news. Randall's sister Kate (who is white) asks what BLM charities to donate to.
2021:
3. Prodigal Son: JT is a black cop and he had cops point guns at him.
4. Nancy Drew: Nick is black, and his mom visits him. Mom says: "You may look bigger and scarier than you really are."
5. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist: At the end of the episode "Zoey's Extraordinary Trip", the black guy Simon calls out the company that he works at, for the the glitch in the software where they don't recognize black and brown faces.
The next episode "Zoey's Extraordinary Reckoining", the whole episode deals with Simon. There was also a bit with Toby being an East Indian guy who works there and Zoey being a woman in a male- dominated company and tech field.
6. The Rookie: Jackson is a black cop and he has to deal with his training officer Doug Stanton who is racist.
This week's theme is about Black celebrities in honor of February being Black History month:
"Do unto the others" (movie Get Out)/ "Cheers for fears" (Jordan Peele)
Kadidja Yansane: "Manifest Clients Now: Amplify your Confidence and Get Fully Booked in Any Economy"
My week:
Feb. 17, 2021 Leo opinion: The polls were:
Are you going out on Valentine's Day?
No: 96%
Yes: 4%
My opinion: I said no.
Is Valentine's Day overrated?
Yes: 51%
A little: 20%
No: 15%
I don't know/ prefer not to answer:14%
My opinion: At first I was going to say "A little" and then said "Yes."
I don't really like Valentine's Day, because if you're not in a romantic relationship, then you feel bad.
I remember that other poll:
Do you like Christmas?
Yes: 80%
No: 20%
I did find this on Facebook:
Feb. 18, 2021 Gradual or fast change:
The Simpsons: The episode called "Lisa's Wedding" that's set in the future. Cut to Homer and Marge in bed watching TV.
Marge: Too bad Fox turned into a hardcore sex channel. It happened so gradually, I hardly even noticed.
Retail stores closing down: Does anyone remember the end of 2014? Smart Set and Danier Leather closed down their stores.
Jan. 2015 comes and Target closes all their stores in Canada. That was fast change.
