A few weeks ago, Dave Chapelle hosted Saturday Night Live (SNL.) As a fan of Chapelle, I knew it would be a great episode. The comedian had been away from television for over a decade, but gave a surprisingly poignant monologue. In it, he addressed the elephant in the room, president-elect Donald Trump and the controversy surrounding his unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton. Chapelle stated that he would give president-elect Trump a chance and asked if he'd give the black community a chance as well. What made Chapelle's monologue stand out among other hosts' to me was his candor. Following results from the presidential election and ensuing protests, the country, and many minorities especially, needed a break. And although mostly lighthearted jokes, Chapelle's message gave many a sense of camaraderie and made me forget about politics, if only for 90 minutes.
The first time I watched Chapelle's Show, something just clicked. Sure, there were plenty of other comedy shows on television, but I could relate to Chapelle on a more personal level. Characters like Tyrone Biggums or Silky Johnson weren't anywhere else on T.V .These characters, though satirical, felt genuinely relatable to my experience living in a black community. But Chapelle didn't just use his platform for jokes and skits, he made social commentary as well.
In "I Know Black People," a Jeopardy style trivia skit, Chapelle asks a diverse group of contestants questions specific to black culture. Among questions like "What is a loosey?" and "Why did black people distrust Reagan?" one question has always stood out to me and is still relevant today. The question, "What can black people do to rise up and overcome?" to which one contestant incorrectly answers "get out and vote" went over my head at the time. But as I've grown older and have utilized the "get out and vote" method, the more it resonates with me, now more than ever. That people are still talking about and relating to an almost twelve year old skit, only speaks to Chapelle's prowess as a comedian and his grip on our reality. So naturally, him being the one to address the American people, minorities included, on SNL, after the election, makes perfect sense.
Still, the question remains, what can black and minority people do? Clearly, there isn't any straightforward answer and as one contestant correctly answered, "that's a complex answer there." Indeed, it is, but it's a question that if handled correctly, has the potential to unite us all.
