In a rare New York City performance, comedian Dave Chappelle railed against the Black Lives Matter movement, calling the slogan that provides the group’s name the “worst” he’s ever heard.
The former Chappelle’s Show star began the night with a warning, telling the crowd —according to Showbiz411’s Roger Friedman — “This will be a racist show. I’m telling you now.”
Friedman, who attended Chappelle’s intimate, closed-door performance Sunday night at the Cutting Room in Manhattan, said the comic’s jokes poked fun at both black and white people equally — but he saved his most cutting commentary for the anti-police protest group.
“Black Lives Matter is a terrible slogan,” Chappelle said, according to Friedman, adding that he prefers Chicago Bulls superstar Dwayne Wade’s hashtag “enough is enough.”
Wade’s cousin, Nykea Aldridge, was shot to death last Friday afternoon while pushing her child in a baby stroller in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
Responding to the tragic news about Aldridge, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tweeted “Dwyane Wade’s cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!” In another tweet, Trump added: “My condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family, on the loss of Nykea Aldridge. They are in my thoughts and prayers.”
Responding to the Republican candidate’s tweets, Chappelle joked, “Oh yeah, now I’m voting for Donald Trump.”
YouTube is largely devoid footage of Chappelle’s critically acclaimed standup routines, because the 43-year-old comic confiscates cameras and cell phones at the door. At one point Sunday, Chappelle reportedly wanted to look something up on the Internet.
“I can’t. I don’t have my phone either,” he told the crowd.
Later in the show, Chappelle, driving home a point about “empathy,” asked the reportedly mixed race crowd “When did it become just caring about ourselves and not caring about other people?”
Friedman says Chappelle also talked about wanting to vote for Hillary Clinton and how that has had an impact on his relationship with actress and conservative commentator Stacey Dash.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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