8.46

"In a set rife with his signature searing social commentary, the comedian touches on everything from George Floyd’s death to being unable to accept a Grammy award on the day Kobe Bryant died, to the hypocrisy of conservative TV host Laura Ingraham — and even throws in a signature bit about Ja Rule for levity."

"He started by giving a shout-out “to all the young people who went out protesting.” “I’m proud of you,” he said. “You are excellent drivers and I’m comfortable in the backseat of the car. So carry on, young ones.” He then opened his notebook, looking for where to start: “It’s hard to figure out what to say about George Floyd, so I’m not gonna say it yet. I, uh …” he sighed, and closed the book. Then the real conversation began, because what happened wasn’t a show. It was someone in pain, reconciling his anguish, exasperation and anger in a monologue, speaking to what he could in the moment."

"Chappelle’s performance isn’t much of a comedy set, because, as he notes, there aren’t really any jokes. Instead, it’s a raw accounting of police brutality, punctuated with images of black men who died at the hands of officers, and deftly interweaving his own personal history."

"It’s Chappelle’s most poignant material in ages. The outrage is pure and unfiltered, more like a stressed-out bar hang or a video essay using historical parallels to illustrate what is acutely agonizing about 2020 than a gig meant to draw laughs. “This isn’t funny at all,” he says at one point, overwhelmed by the heaviness of his subject matter."