The Age of Spin: Dave Chappelle Live at the Hollywood Palladium

Here's something I love about Dave Chappelle, which he's done in his stand-up since Killing em Softly and probably before: that moment, which he does more than once so it's either a playful thing he can't control or a timed movement, where after making a particularly outrageous or spot-on joke or puch-to-the-gut-line, he tapes a step or two back, falls halfway over, and laughs a little. The thing to remember though is that by the time we're seeing The Age of Spin, he's given this same piece of material to people in nightclubs over and over, as is the way that stand-ups do it through trial and error (if there is someone that can come fully formed to the stage for a live *taped* one-hour special he or she would be as special as... well, one of the superheroes that Chappelle 'pitches' to the gay and white-hatred-filled executives, perhaps). But it's always an infectious beat, whether he's doing it as part of his performance or if it's a natural reaction - it lets us know, 'g-ddamn, did I say that... yeah, I did, hahah!'

Speaking of that super-heroes bit, let's look at that briefly (how can one not, it's one of the highlights). This is one of those pieces that can (and probably already has) set off some "HEY!" remarks from both LGBTQ people (he actually addresses that too by the way, those in that acronym), and... actually I'm not sure if I've heard much from the white-trash contingent of the internet yet. Yet framing is always paramount, and here Chappelle starts off this piece about how he is put upon at some post-Oscars party or other about any movie ideas - he tells us, the audience, that he had none, but he can't say that to executives, so he comes up with the most (no pun intended) half- baked ideas based on the stereotypes that come with either being gay or a white, Texan scumbag: the former involves elements (I won't mention here, won't spoil the joke) that might appeal to the gay person, and the latter involves things that are more leaning on what might be the *male* hatred of women (if you want save the world, you got to touch a vagina, and since women find that gross, well... how about some rape to save the world?!)

It's easy to see why Chappelle's words would be offensive to people, I get it. If you are, then I'm sorry that he f***ed you over in a comedy routine. But, again, the framing of it counts: in Age of Spin he's not going after gays or women/feminists or transgendered or even Bill Cosby... okay, he does go after him, but it's about so much else *around* these issues, perceptions and types and things that make individuals become these types and are seen as less than. As a black man he knows the less-than part clearly, and immediately does something clever: the early bits here are about being black but also what fame does when that's thrown in (i.e. when he's with his friend and his friend is put in the back of the cop car but he isn't, or that piece about not going to Flynt). At worst he may seem to be out of touch as a celebrity more than he was back in 2000 or even 2004. But then what's to be made later on when he brings up his son's overwhelming adoration (and Dave's own jealousy/envy) of Kevin Hart and his live show?

I found this special brilliant and, more importantly, awesomely funny all around for how Chappelle constructs his jokes and gets in the absurdity and humor in just the right spots, hits things as if a boxer does when knowing to stand back a little and (in a beat) be serious, and then throw in a joke as if it's nothing, and then to go for the bigger hits. He even has an overriding arc involving four stories of meeting OJ Simpson - someone who, before Cosby, was likely the most notorious case of a black American hero to many people who fell down hard - and each one takes us through different periods in Dave's as well as OJ's rise and falls in the past 25 years. If anything that adds another layer to the context of the other bits, which involve largely celebrity and how we look at "others" and people's reactions who are on the outside to how the other is too (the highlight of that is Dave reenacting a contentious night doing stand-up where a woman confronted him during his act about how much women have suffered, and he's with her struggle... up to a point).

So in some ways he's deepened a little with his bits. In other ways... he's the same old Dave. What a welcome return this was!

It has been 10 years since Dave Chappelle has done a show in L.A. This was filmed in the Hollywood Palladium. He mentions the recent death of Garry Shandling placing the show in March 2016. He is funny, insightful, original, and edgy. The show takes on transgender, disenfranchised politics, O.J., and most of all Bill Crosby. Each one is tackled with a special side spin. The gay jokes are almost from an earlier era. I wonder if he's joking about the jokes or serious about the joking. The O.J. stuff is probably the easiest to digest and the most fun. The Bill Crosby through-line is probably the most personal. It is the conflicted musing of a younger man about his fallen hero. He also has some sly fun about Key & Peele. Chappelle is always smart and one hopes to glimpse a part of that brilliance through his work. A general comment about Netflix doing these standup shows. It would be more compelling to have the shows be more up to the minute although this one and 'Deep in the Heart of Texas' are most compelling for Chappelle.

Dave Chappelle manages to go into some pretty heavy topics and still make it funny, without it being awkward. Great pacing. Great crowd. Funny jokes.

This was a great way of showing that Dave Chappelle still has it.

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages, grandmothers and grandfathers, Dave Cha-Pezzy is back, the one and only Dave Chappelle is back!

Dave Chappelle (Half – Baked, The Chappelle Show) the comedy icon, makes his long awaited return to the screen and to the stage. Dave Chappelle now has a Netflix Original stand-up comedy special. With new, mature, raunchy, contemptuous, and always compelling comedy material.

Now if you are coming into this thinking you're getting that Chappelle that says, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" Or him as Lil John, Prince, and as everyone's favorite crackhead Tyrone Biggums, you are not getting that. What you have here is a more mature Chappelle that has grown, and discusses more of his daily life.

That's right Dave Chappelle grew up. He discusses politics, sex, scandals, race issues, kids, the education system, marriage, and all that good stuff. The stand-up special is actually two parts. The first part is titled, The Age of Spin Live at The Hollywood Palladium. The second part is titled, Deep in the Heart of Texas: Dave Chappelle Live at Austin City Limits.

Fans online have been debating which special is better. I believe they are both well done. However, I do believe the first special is better.

I personally enjoyed The Age of Spin Live at The Hollywood Palladium more for a variety of reasons. It really does feel like he is talking to the audience, he hasn't performed in L.A. in 10 years, it is more mature, it's funny, and you truly do feel like he is happy to be back, and happy to have grown as a comedian.

That doesn't mean it is a perfect stand-up special, because in my opinion it is not. One of the biggest issues I have is the topics of current events.

I wish there were more recent news topics Chappelle discussed in his special. For example, he could have made jokes and or statements about Trump, Obama leaving office, movies, trends, television shows (like when he played Negan from Walking Dead on Saturday Night Live), social media, and the entertainment industry then vs. now.

Talking about Bill Cosby and O.J. Simpson now feels just a little dated. Even though the jokes are funny, just more fresher topics could have been used. I appreciate him taking a serious topic and adding a light hearted and funny message behind it though.

The first special is…how can I put this? Stupid funny. He tells a joke about every time he has met O.J. and each one of them is hilarious, but really stupid. For instance, this isn't a spoiler, but it involves Chappelle and O.J.'s wife. Chappelle reenacts when he met O.J.'s wife and he says, "Woman, are you trying' to get us both killed?"

Furthermore, he literally opens the show telling the crowd, "You all better be a tough crowd, I'm going to say some stuff, so don't get mad." So if you are someone who is easily offended this is NOT for you. On the other hand, if you are someone who has thick skin and can take race jokes, sex jokes, and profanity the by all means 'njoy.

What I mainly enjoyed about the 2nd half is Chappelle discussing more of his private life. For example, his young son getting into a fight with girl. Chappelle mentions how he took a bite out of his son's school lunch, and then put it back in the bag so his son wouldn't notice. His son thought it was a girl in the class, and it ended up with his son slapping a little girl. This isn't the first father dilemma Chappelle discusses.

Also, Chappelle discusses his marriage. He has been married since 2001, and he talks about/makes jokes about long marriages and relationships. I was cracking up laughing, when he mentions when his wife leaves the house he likes to get naked, jerk off and eat cereal in the living room.

That's what I mean when I say you are getting more of the old Chappelle on this second half of the stand-up special. In my opinion, this half had too many sex jokes and gay jokes. It started out funny, but then I was ready for him to move onto the next topic.

Overall, these are my final thoughts on Dave Chappelle's stand-up Netflix Special. Netflix announced these aren't the only two specials we are getting. There are more coming on the way towards the end of the year, and I say bring it on.

Chappelle is more than Rick James, bitch. He is funny, has improved, has matured, he is a comedy king, and like Comedy Central has stated, I do believe he is one of the greatest comedians of all time. I believe this earns…

4 out of 5 Hairpieces!

Thank you all for reading and or viewing, and I hope you all have an amazing day as always. :)

Now if you'll excuse me, much like Dave Chappelle, I need to get my bowl of cereal ready and head on into the living room.

Review Written By Nile Fortner

Mr. Dave Chappelle is back with an amazingly crafted crock-pot of Stand-up routine nirvana. This was one of the funniest stand-up specials I've seen, and as a Non-American I got all the jokes and laughed through most of it which is really rare, as most American comedians don't connect to foreign audiences with their local anecdotes and satires. I can safely say there no other funnier comedian working in the biz today that can hypnotize the crowd with his/her comedic timing like Mr. Chappelle..

And, remember kids: RAPE & SAVE!