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Dave Chappelle (June 2022): »And so, Kanye, you buy yourself some time«
Photo: Shannon Finney/Getty Images
At the beginning of his appearance on »Saturday Night Live«, Dave Chappelle took out a piece of paper and pretended to read a short statement: »I distance myself from all forms of anti-Semitism.
And I feel connected to my friends in the Jewish community.” Then he looked at the audience, sighed, and said, “So, Kanye, you're buying yourself some time.”
This sentence referred to the US rapper and entrepreneur Kanye West.
He had lost large parts of his business connections as a result of a series of anti-Semitic statements.
Within days, West, stage name Ye, was dropped by his agency CAA, also by luxury brand Balenciaga.
Finally, after public pressure, Adidas also ended its multi-million dollar collaboration.
Chappelle, known for his provocative performances, kept his monologue in limbo for large parts of the traditional US comedy show on Saturday.
He felt sorry for the fallen rap star - but then made fun of him and then those who sanctioned him.
The comedian aped West and boasted from his supposedly unassailable position: "I can say anti-Semitic things and Adidas can't kick me out!" Then Chappelle followed suit: "Adidas was founded by the Nazis - and even they felt attacked."
The performance was critically received in the US media: The New York Times, for example, accused the Afro-American stand-up comedian of channeling myths that would confirm anti-Semitic stereotypes.
Chappelle also poked fun at what was perceived as an exaggerated sensibility on the part of the Jewish community.
At one point in his 15-minute performance, he played off one experience of racism against the other: »If people are black, they are a gang.
If they're Italian, they're mafia.
But if they're Jewish, that's a coincidence and you must never talk about it."
Chappelle hosted Saturday Night for the third time.
According to information from the New York Post, there was controversy in the run-up to the show's team about Chappelle's renewed use.
Some authors of the program are said to have refused to cooperate.
The occasion was a comedy special for Netflix last year, in which Chappelle had made jokes perceived as transphobic.
Even then, Netflix employees went on the barricades.
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