Current Events > Bill Burr On Dave Chappelle And The Charged Climate Of Stand-Up Comedy

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewhusband/2019/09/10/bill-burr-on-dave-chappelle-and-the-charged-climate-of-stand-up-comedy/#3f4f71af3ed1

In the weeks that preceded and followed the release of Dave Chappelles fifth Netflix special, Sticks & Stones, the conversation necessarily and predictably hinged on the comics jokes pertaining to transgender people and politically correct culture. And thats what comedian Bill Burr was counting on in Paper Tiger. By the way, this is going to be my last show ever, he says about midway through the new comedy special, which is now streaming on Netflix. By the time this fucking thing comes out. Seeing as how Paper Tiger is Burrs sixth full special in 11 years, this joking sentiment likely wont be the case. But the 51-year-old performer is perfectly aware of the charged climate that stand-up comedy and public entertainment and political culture at large now finds itself in. He jokes about it plenty of times throughout the new hour, especially when he thinks its his last.

AH: That was going to be my next question, about your addressing Americas current fascination with PC culture in the context of comedy.

BB: That has gone global, my friend. There's all this weird thing where everybody in public is the most caring person ever and then they go back to the exact life they were living when they go home. And I understand it. Its heart is in the right place, but they... You can't just change words and think that will change people's attitudes.

AH: You really think that?

BB: Well, to change as a person is a ton of work. It requires a lot of work by the individual. It's not simply other people going, Don't say this word now, say that word. And then, magically, they're going to be like, Oh! Its not the case that because they don't use that other word, they're not going to be thinking ignorant things about whatever group that word was used negatively against before. It's a pipe dream.

AH: In those instances, it doesnt become a national scandal, youre saying.

BB: Well, it would be nice if that level of inquiry went into figuring out exactly why banks and pharmaceutical companies, or the people who make our food supply, are able to do what they do so openly. I feel like Dave Chappelle got more shit than pharmaceutical companies for a stand-up special. Its like, Forget about the crap that they did! You know?

AH: On the one hand, judging by previous specials, youve never had a problem with addressing hot button topics. On the other hand, considering the Chappelle response and everything else youve already said today, I get the feeling this has all been on your mind even more.

BB: I'm making fun of people who think that's actually a thing. That you could tell a joke, and that that joke would end your career... There's always something that you could say or do that isnt a joke. You could not be joking and just say something. I dont know, some over-the-top racist something. That would get you. Racism would get you. That's the other thing that's hilarious about this whole thing: what gets attention and what doesn't. I found it hilarious how I was joking about how white women hijacked the woke movement, and how racist media is since whenever a white woman complains about something, it goes to the front page. But everything else? There are people getting pulled over because of their skin color, who have done nothing wrong, and theyre dying. Theyre dying in their own country. But somehow, that isn't as big a story as when a white woman bitches about something.

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Based
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Lebronwon posted...

I was joking about how white women hijacked the woke movement, and how racist media is since whenever a white woman complains about something, it goes to the front page.

XD. Bill Burr is back.
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The articles have begun
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Lebronwon posted...

There are people getting pulled over because of their skin color, who have done nothing wrong, and theyre dying. Theyre dying in their own country. But somehow, that isn't as big a story as when a white woman bitches about something.

That's gonna piss off his "anti woke" crowd lmao
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He's not wrong, I can imagine. The most vocal people about X word is now offense so use Y word are the people doing the least in life to change or do anything to progress whatever they claim they are on the internet. And why? Because it's easy.

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me undies
me undies
do do do do do do
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white women are the most oppressed minority in this country
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People who pretended to like the Chapelle special because he "stuck it to the libs" might be pretty upset when this Bull Burr guy says political stuff but is better informed.

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I get where Bill's coming from when he says "you can't just tell people to say this word, instead of that word." But he doesn't necessarily offer a solution of his own. You gotta start somewhere, after all, and maybe it is with informing people that certain words should be avoided.
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AlephZero posted...

white women are the most oppressed minority in this country

I think you're watching too much porn.
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IShall_Run_Amok posted...

People who pretended to like the Chapelle special because he "stuck it to the libs" might be pretty upset when this Bull Burr guy says political stuff but is better informed.

Burr is one of the most famous comedians of all time. People that are into comedy are familiar with his style. It's the people who don't normally watch comedy and just bandwagon the issues for clicks that are the problem.
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pogo_rabid posted...

Burr is one of the most famous comedians of all time. People that are into comedy are familiar with his style. It's the people who don't normally watch comedy and just bandwagon the issues for clicks that are the problem.

I've a feeling its something like that, yeah. I'm not into stand up at all, but the Chapelle kerfuffle had all the signs of 'social media bandwagon' blazing in bright neon, in part if not its entirety.

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IShall_Run_Amok posted...

pogo_rabid posted...

Burr is one of the most famous comedians of all time. People that are into comedy are familiar with his style. It's the people who don't normally watch comedy and just bandwagon the issues for clicks that are the problem.

I've a feeling its something like that, yeah. I'm not into stand up at all, but the Chapelle kerfuffle had all the signs of 'social media bandwagon' blazing in bright neon, in part if not its entirety.

There is a bit of a bubble in standup. There's a bit of a "learning curve" if you will to acclimate to the various styles and references.
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It's really annoying how CE rides this dude's **** like something straight out of porn. I can't even tell if it's a meme at this point.

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I think comedians should have room to fail in order to rework their jokes and either make them better or scrap them. The idea of cancelling Chapelle over this one joke is pretty ridiculous. It was a terrible terrible joke, but I also think the media is just signal boosting a vocal minority.

Dave Chapelle is really funny and probably one of the best comedians, but I think on the topic of trans, he doesn't have enough personal experience to do comedy on it yet like he does with race. He could get there if people just allow comedians to bomb jokes.

Behaviorism posted...

It's really annoying how CE rides this dude's **** like something straight out of porn. I can't even tell if it's a meme at this point.

He is a Top 5 comic right now. It not just CE reddit loves him too. Whenever Bill appears on Conan his youtube videos get a huge amount of views.
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IShall_Run_Amok posted...

People who pretended to like the Chapelle special because he "stuck it to the libs"

That's dumb. The guy is a lib. He's just not super PC. Which is fine for about 90% of them.

BB: Well, it would be nice if that level of inquiry went into figuring out exactly why banks and pharmaceutical companies, or the people who make our food supply, are able to do what they do so openly. I feel like Dave Chappelle got more shit than pharmaceutical companies for a stand-up special. Its like, Forget about the crap that they did! You know?

So goddamn right.

Day after day this shit drives me nuts because morons waste their energies being upset by a comedian or a celebrity rather than the forces which significantly impact our society.
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I just like how people assumed that SJWs were the ones reviewing Chappelle's special poorly when if you actually go and read the reviews (there was only like 9 of em) they all pretty well say that the issue with the special was that it felt phoned in

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up
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EverDownward posted...

I get where Bill's coming from when he says "you can't just tell people to say this word, instead of that word." But he doesn't necessarily offer a solution of his own. You gotta start somewhere, after all, and maybe it is with informing people that certain words should be avoided.

He's not saying not to call people out on it. He's saying the idea that demanding a person stop saying something and that fixing the problem by themselves makes no sense.

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Kastrada posted...

He's not saying not to call people out on it. He's saying the idea that demanding a person stop saying something and that fixing the problem by themselves makes no sense.

As in stop saying colored people and say people of color now. There racism has been taken care of.

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We are quickly becoming a society loyal to politics over everything else if this isn't liberal or conservative enough it's the opposite and must be destroyed
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