I recently watched the special on Netflix where Dave Chappelle received the Mark Twain award at the Kennedy Center and that inspired me to finally go back and watch “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party”.
I think that coming back to see this now with the context of the career that Dave Chapelle has had, made this better than if I had seen it in 2005 during the height of Chappelle’s Show and the confusion as to whether he was coming back for a third season.
It really feels like Dave Chappelle has an honest sense and understanding of what celebrity means and its impact on his life. When you hear Dave talk about this then the abandonment of Chappelle’s Show no longer feels like abandonment but instead feels like a logical progression. It also puts Block Party into context.
Dave completely understood the privilege and place that he was in at that moment in his life and he stepped back as a fan and said, “What would I love to see in a concert? Well, you know what, I’m a celebrity now with pull I can make this happen and I can share it out with people. This is sooo crazy!”
And that is what he did and it was magnificent to watch someone take advantage of their celebrity for fun and for the benefit of others.
You win again Dave Chappelle, you win again.
