Dave Chappelle’s Pushback Against Cancel Culture Chills the Joke

Clarence Page, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 12, 2021

That’s a good thing for him to learn. An old saying in comedy and politics advises, “Always punch up” with your attacks, never punch down at people who are less empowered than you are.

But Chappelle had a hard time with that, he says, because he sees LGBTQ communities as gaining power and influence and respect at a faster rate than Black people.

“Gender is a fact,” he argued.

Well, yes and no. The many social and psychological aspects of what comprises transgender identity are complicated and confusing, as I have found after years of reading and discussions. So I’m not surprised by the confusion.

But this example only illustrates how we need to have more public discussion about these topics, not less. Silencing or “canceling” people who express their earnest beliefs, no matter how poorly informed, can only add to the confusion and social divisions.

In short, some topics are too complex to be easily handled just for laughs.

But Chappelle helped redeem himself as he began to close the show out with memories of a friend and fellow comedian, Daphne Dorman, a transgender woman he’d struck up a friendship with and opened a conversation about identity.

Sadly, Chappelle concluded the story by recounting how Dorman took her own life in 2019, shortly after defending him online.

“I don’t know what the trans community did for her,” Chappelle said, “but I don’t care, because I feel like she wasn’t their tribe. She was mine. She was a comedian in her soul.”

He finished with an open announcement to LGBTQ folks. “I’m not going to tell another joke about you until we are both sure that we are laughing together.”

That was reassuring, although his final request was less so. “All I ask from your community with all humility,” he said, “will you please stop punching down on my people?”

What? As if there aren’t also Black LGBTQ people?

Regardless of color, folks in the LGBTQ community that I know still don’t see themselves as all that empowered. Obviously we still have a lot of talking to do in this great diverse nation of ours — and a lot of listening too. No joke.

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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com.)