Jimmy Kimmel helped share a powerful story about comedian Dave Chappelle educating a white woman about race during an impromptu stand-up show.
The encounter happened over five years ago, but it was shared on Twitter Wednesday by comedian Kenny DeForrest, who was hosting Comedy At the Knit at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.
The powerful story was retweeted by Kimmel on Wednesday night, stating, ‘This thread is well worth your time.’
Jimmy shares: Jimmy Kimmel helped share a powerful story about comedian Dave Chappelle educating a white woman about race during an impromptu stand-up show
Chappelle story: The encounter happened over five years ago, but it was shared on Twitter Wednesday by comedian Kenny DeForrest, who was hosting Comedy At the Knit at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn
DeForrest began by stating he knew Chappelle was in New York to support Kevin Hart hosting Saturday Night Live, and he texted Joyelle N Johnson to ask, ‘any chance Dave wants to go up?’
He added that they started the show thinking Chappelle ‘might’ come up and do a set, and sure enough, ‘he sneaks in like a boxer with his hood up.’
DeForrest added that they were joking around in the green room and, ‘every topic that came up, he had something profound for.’
Coolest night: DeForrest began by stating he knew Chappelle was in New York to support Kevin Hart hosting Saturday Night Live, and he texted Joyelle N Johnson to ask, ‘any chance Dave wants to go up?’
He added that they put Chappelle on last, and the crowd, ‘LOSES it,’ and just like in the green room, he had a ‘perfect joke’ for every topic, adding that, ‘this was days after the cop that choked Eric Garner to death in Staten Island (you know, murder) was not indicted by a grand jury.’
Someone asked him to talk about police brutality and he started talking about Eric Garner getting murdered, adding, ‘I thought body cams would help, but what good is video evidence if y’all don’t care?’
During his set, a, ‘clearly privileged white girl (she had a wide brimmed felt hat for chrissakes) shouts “Life’s hard, sorry ‘bout it!”’
Losing it: He added that they put Chappelle on last, and the crowd, ‘LOSES it,’ and just like in the green room, he had a ‘perfect joke’ for every topic, adding that, ‘this was days after the cop that choked Eric Garner to death in Staten Island (you know, murder) was not indicted by a grand jury’
Brutality: Someone asked him to talk about police brutality and he started talking about Eric Garner getting murdered, adding, ‘I thought body cams would help, but what good is video evidence if y’all don’t care?’
Chappelle then started educating the crowd about, ‘the history of black people and the police,’ including Rodney King and Watts and Emmett Till and Black Wall Street. He talked about Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and he talked about John Crawford III.
Crawford was a black man who was looking at a BB gun in a Wal-Mart, which scared a white person enough to call the cops, and a cop, ‘just guns him down’ with no warning.
Chappelle then told a story about how he got pulled over in Ohio where he lived, and how he was clearly nervous, telling the cop that he was not armed and he was reaching to get his license and registration.
Crawford: Chappelle then started educating the crowd about, ‘the history of black people and the police,’ including Rodney King and Watts and Emmett Till and Black Wall Street. He talked about Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and he talked about John Crawford III.
He said the cop seemed ‘offended’ that Chappelle was nervous, and that he knew who he was and let him off with a warning.
Chappelle said that same cop who let him off with a warning is the cop who killed John Crawford III, as the comedian added, ‘I shouldn’t have to be Dave Chappelle to survive police encounters.’
He then explained that one of his best friends was South African, and things changed in the country when the amount of ‘people caring hit critical mass and there was nothing they could do to stop it.’
Nervous: He said the cop seemed ‘offended’ that Chappelle was nervous, and that he knew who he was and let him off with a warning
‘The people had momentum and apartheid ended. Critical mass. That’s what we have to hit. Once enough of you care, there will be nothing they can do to stop the change,’ Chappelle told the crowd, with DeForest adding the crowed was ‘stunned and silent.’
After the show, the white girl wanted to talk to him and Chappelle told her to come back, as she and her friend apologized and said he ‘educated’ her and that she wouldn’t say things like that anymore.
Chappelle told her, ‘You’re ok. That’s all we can ask. Know better, do better. I want to thank YOU for hearing me and listening. That’s your role. And now you know. Now you’re part of that critical mass we talked about and next time you hear a friend say some ignorant s**t like… you said, it’s your job to correct them and share with them what you learned tonight. THEN, you’re no longer part of the problem, you’re part of the solution.’
DeForest added that, ‘He changed everyone in that room that night. 200+ people became part of the solution if they weren’t already. Even a privileged girl in a privileged hat with a privileged mindset. Point is, it doesn’t matter what you thought before. You can always change.’
Changed: DeForest added that, ‘He changed everyone in that room that night. 200+ people became part of the solution if they weren’t already. Even a privileged girl in a privileged hat with a privileged mindset. Point is, it doesn’t matter what you thought before. You can always change’