In a new comedy special called 8:46, comedian Dave Chappelle addressed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis as well as the nationwide protests that have erupted across the world.
What We Know:
- Filmed in Beavercreek, Ohio the special was shot in front of a socially-distanced, mask-clad audience. Attendees had their temperatures taken and were seated outdoors. The introduction to the special is significantly sobering. “This is weird and less than ideal circumstances to do a show,” Chappelle started. He said that he was proud of protesters, particularly young people. The comedian exclaimed that the special was the first ‘concert’ to be take place since the end of the national lockdowns during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“This man kneeled on a man’s neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds,” Chappelle shouted, “Can you imagine that?”
- Dave started the special addressing Don Lemon, a popular host on CNN. Don went viral while demanding that celebrities use their platform to speak for the marginalized.
“This is the streets talking for themselves, they don’t need me right now. I kept my mouth shut. And I’ll keep my mouth shut. Don’t think my silence is complicit,” Chappelle said, adding, “Why would anyone care what their favorite comedian thinks after they saw a police officer kneel on a man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds? I can’t get that number out of my head.”
- Chapelle also addressed conservative Fox News host, Laura Ingraham and famed Black conservative troll Candace Owens, specifically calling Owens an “articulate idiot.”
- The comedian lamented a few other names of others that have faced fatal encounters of police brutality, Michael Brown and Eric Garner. He also told the story of Chris Dorner, the LAPD officer that filed a justified reporting a colleague and lost his badge. He explained why Dorner, and others like him sought justice they were taught to seek in the Military by taking out officers that terrorized Black people.
- The special had been viewed over 2.5M times by noon on the Netflix Comedy YouTube page, just before noon.
Dave Chappelle included a link for those watching to support the Equal Justice Initiative in the description of the YouTube video.
Watch on YouTube:
