Any real defense of Chappelle's anti-LGBT screed has been lacking. Not that he should be defended, he shouldn't, but those that are being marched out to speak for their friend are failing badly. I say this because anyone saying a word defending Chappelle is doing so purely on free speech grounds, which is the only way you can.
As I said in my original piece on the matter even I would and will defend Chappelle's right to spew his hate but I don't have to like or want to hear it.
Truthfully as a proponent of free speech, even something as hateful as Chappelle's, results in crashing up against a wall of is it defensible? It is because I will not take anyone's words away, however I will clearly state that what Chappelle is saying is hateful from top to bottom.
On the other hand I would rather just say that the special isn't funny or clever and not worth seeing since that will go along way to kill it. Several people I know were curious about seeing the special until I said it was not funny and then they lost interest.
Honestly I feel bad for the people defending Chappelle in the media. I've heard several people on the radio and TV and I've seen some stuff in the paper "defending" his right to say what he did. Everyone talks about the First Amendment rights, the speak of the great cases preserving it and argue that not to support it will kill comedy. While I totally agree with that tact (its the only way to do it), no one, and I mean no one is actually addressing the special.
Seriously no one defending him is mentioning what was said at all. People have discussed Chappelle and his style of comedy, but that is as close to the subjects discussed as anyone will go. I've heard a couple of comedians say that they still haven't seen the special. You haven't seen it? Then what the hell are you doing on TV or the radio talking about it? I suspect no one wants to offend Chappelle as if he's going to wreck their career, but the truth is Chappelle just wrecked his, since he's just offended a large number of people with his comments in an unfunny special.
If you want to know if Chappelle crossed a line realize that what he said is so vile that no one wants to talk about what he said in discussing what he said- not even comedians who pretty much have no boundaries. Think about it- he's actually gone so far the comedians won't say he's funny here. Chappelle has caused the very talkative comedy brotherhood to shut up
Should stop Chappelle from speaking?
No. Let him talk. Let people see what a hateful man he apparently is. Let him talk so that we can tell the world that he is wrong. Best of all let him talk so that he can see that we've stopped listening and that he needs to pack up his circus and go home.
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And as for Netflix, they need to do something beyond just saying that Chappelle has the right to say what he did because it doesn't wash. They have censored too much to take the high road. Worse, everything they are doing is just making it worse. They are screwed no matter what they are going to do. It's not worth continuing forward on this track when the cost to gain ratio is so narrow as is when the service may start to hemorrhage viewers.
What do I mean it's not worth it? Apparently they spent over $20 million on the special and got less views than many less costly similar shows. Why spend 20 million on a special of a guy and a mic on stage?
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