Dave Chappelle is undoubtedly a modern day great of standup comedy. The age of spin: Dave Chappelle live at the Hollywood palladium 2017 is one of the cleverest, most relevant comedy shows I've ever watched. He's not just sharp, he weaves in the current climate of anger and disappointment into issues dividing the people, like discrimination over race, gender, etc. He looks at complex and complicated issues like the OJ Simpson trial and Bill Cosby rape allegations and traces the history of rights movements, the world war, the ensuing cold war, the change in social and cultural roles, brilliantly. He reminds us that when idols fall, what we should never ignore is the contribution they have invariably made over decades, visible and invisible, that have touched the lives of millions, and not dismiss them outright or judge them as easily as we do. Dave Chappelle, in his comeback, shows that what made him such a massively popular star in the field of entertainment two decades ago, is very much alive in him. He is relevant because he stays relevant not just because he choses topics that are current, but because he has an acute sensitivity to history and contemporary social currents, which he merges brilliantly with his acerbic, irreverent mind to create entertainment that makes us laugh out loud, but also, lingers in our minds much later, making us think deeply.
He'll have a place in entertainment as one of the legends of comedy.
