In this clip, it seems that the white individual is being portrayed as weak, naive, and extremely law-abiding. His girlfriend is supposed to portray the stereotypical white girl who is innocent but can be corrupted. Christian Finnegan, who plays the white guy on the show, is supposed to be the whiteboy who is unable to satisfy his girlfriend in the same way as his black room mates can. Lysol and the room mate played by Charlie Murphy are supposed to be stereotypes of black men who are seen as hyper-sexual.
It is also interesting to note that the sketch takes place in Philadelphia, as shown by the different shots of the skyline. Philadelphia is a city that has experienced what has been called "white flight" from the major urban centers. I think that the sketch is also parodying race relations in Philadelphia, and satirizing ideas of naive white boys like Christian Finnegan as being unable to prosper in environments like Philly. Do you think that this sketch is just a stereotypical portrayal of sexual ethnography or that there is any truth to it at all? Do you think that sexual ethnography and fluctuations in the racial proportions of cities are related to each other? And finally, do you think that Dave Chapelle was making a statement when he wrote this sketch or that it is just a way to commodify notions of African-Americans and white people?
Great POST!!
ReplyDeleteI just want to point out that this video is a great example of Nagel's reading, because is concrete and it's clear to the point. I'm not a fan of Chapelle, but my brother is. He is super funny, sometimes can be offensive to some... but I mean comedians don't discriminate. From what I notice Chapelle's sketches are usually very dichotomous, is this or that, and in that contrast is were the humor resides and can be use as means to contest or to reinforce stereotypes.
Anyway the video is a clear example of this:
"The sexual ideologies of many groups define members of other classes or ethnicities as sexually different from, usually inferior to their own normal and proper ways of being sexual. (Nagel 9)
Here we see black guys celebrating their sexuality and emasculating the white guy... in a way the comedy serves to exaggerate masculine roles, and boundaries within ethnic groups. Needless to say it is also homophobic... because is centered on heterosexuality.
Good post! I never was a big fan of Dave Chapelle because he go to far about other people cultures and race. It might be funny, but at the end of the day, are you really like that in person? I think the Chapelle Show is commodifying African Americans and Whites. It does depends on the city because you know how to target people in the different parts of the city. The media have to start someone before going big. The stereotypes of African American men fantasy thought by others are ignorant to the eyes of others.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, great post...I think that this is a really good example of the way that our society presents the 'other' of the African American male on many 'reality' TV shows. The tokenism is very blatant. As Nibia pointed out, it is definitely a homophobic presentation but even in that sense when homosexuals are portrayed as the 'token' or the 'other' the stereotype is just reaffirmed in this supposedly realistic situation. I think regardless of the context, this is a great parody on the way that media perpetuates stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteChapelle's sketches often actually raise complex questions, because they can be criticized as perpetuating stereotypes rather than simply critiquing them. While he is commodifying the stereotypical differences for the sake of humor, it does critique the underlying presumptions that factor into cities experiencing white flight. The reversal of roles in the form of a grotesque characature, including the white character's girlfriend ignoring him in favor of sexualized black men, and his innocent father getting stabbed, highlight the fears that that are perpetuated by stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteAgain good post, I believe everything is done with purpose and in the case Chapelle he may be seen as a comedian who goes what too far. I regards to what his purpose was for this Sketch, I believe he did this because this how society views black men. Chapelle is just the only person willing to put this stereotype out for others to see and become conscious of how hyper-sexualize black men are.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great post. Although Chappelle is a comedian that can take his sketches a little too far, all he is doing is making us talk about the racial, sexual, and gender discourses that make up our society. Yes, he is commodifying African-Americans (from the inner-city) and White people who do not associate with African-Americans, but he is also showing how African-American men are portraed in the media and how ridiculous it is. I always though that Chappelle was fearless in how he made comedy, but this fearlessness was also the result in his "mental breakdown", for the white people were not laughing with him but laughing at him. This whole sketch is stereotypical, everything from the hypersexuality of the African-American men, sexualization of prison culture, the innocent yet curious/horny white girl, and the uptight nerdy white guy. However, this sketch does show the sexual and ethnic ethnography that Nagel tslks about in her article.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you guys think of the "you people" moment of the skit?
ReplyDeleteI think it brings up issues of racialization, as Nagel's readings discuss--but in a way that seems to satirize a very common moment in the race relations experience.
Have you ever heard yourself say something like "you people" or have you ever been in a group of "you peoples"--what was your reaction?
GOOD POST! And great way to tie in the reading! WOOT WOOT!!
ReplyDeleteAs in regards to the Dave Chapelle Show in this skit. I do not care for the guy because he can push the limit and believe he has some internal issues that makes him do so. I kind of feel that he is a little lost in his identity, thus that being the reasonn why he is so adamant on doing these stereo types. But as for the skit, I do believe he does portray the stereo-types very well!! Sad but true, I believe this how many us will think at the end of the day about some things especially when put in the discourse black vs. white. I believe he was making a statement but also commodifying the tension that he presented.
And in in regards to Olivia and the "you people" statement. I think that is something that is said in an environment when people feel as if they are not being understood by a certain culture, not just race. I feel that it may be more relevant in black vs. white. But as soon as I hear you people it catches my attention, because I assume okay you are now grouping me with stereotypes that you have about the culture that I represent. "You people" is never a proper way to indicate your frustration and misunderstanding.
Great blog! I agree with Olivia, Dave Chapelle continues to perpetuate the stereotypes rather than critiquing them. To answer your question though, I think the show is making a negative statement. I do feel that it does commodify notions of African-Americans & white people, through humor to entertain people. I feel that there is some truth in all humor, so I would agree that this sketch this stereotypical portrayal of sexual ethnography does have a level of truth within it.
ReplyDelete