Ring Shout, Wheel About: The Racial Politics of Music and Dance in North American Slavery

Epilogue: The Show Must Go On

192 Epilogue The Show Must Go On On the Oprah Winfrey Show on February 3, 2006, Dave Chappelle had his first national interview after walking away from a $50 million contract and his hit comedy series, The Chappelle Show. His show had debuted in 2003 on Comedy Central and was considered by audiences and critics alike to be one of the funniest shows on television. Chappelle, who created and wrote the show, is a professional comedian and African American actor whose trademark, politically incorrect humor, explored popular culture, race, sex, drugs, and fame. The Chappelle Show became one of the highest-rated programs on Comedy Central, earning three Emmy nominations. It went on to become the bestselling TV show in DVD history. Then, in April 2005, a year after signing a two-year contract to continue the show, Chappelle abruptly walked off the set and traveled to Africa. In his first national broadcast after his disappearance, Chappelle explained why he had abandoned his hit television series. In a racial skit in which Chappelle played a blackface pixie, which he described as the “visual personification of the ‘N-word,’” he had begun to question the social ramifications of these satirical performances. During the taping of this particular sketch, Chappelle noticed, “somebody on the set (who) was white laughed in such a way—I know the difference of people laughing with me and people laughing at me—and it was the first time I had ever gotten a laugh that I was uncomfortable with. . . . I don’t want black people to be disappointed in me for putting that message out there. . . . It’s a complete moral dilemma.”1 The “moral Epilogue 193 dilemma” with which Dave Chappelle grappled concerned the racial images he was propagating in the public sphere of mass media through his comedy show. The social responsibility of African Americans in the entertainment industry has always been a topic of great controversy due to the negative, stereotypical manner in which blacks continually have been portrayed. Similar to so many black entertainers in American history, Dave Chappelle continuously balanced on the thin line between parody and racial stereotypes.2 Furthermore, the racially charged rants directed toward black targets by famous white figures in the first decade of the twenty-first century, including Michael Richards and Don Imus, fueled discussion on the manner in which blacks are portrayed in popular culture . These controversial events also mobilized black activists to seek retribution against public displays of racism by mainstream media. Richards and Imus—who was fired (though rehired)—experienced social and professional repercussions for their racist displays.3 The Richards and Imus controversies, however, had a secondary effect : a negative backlash against blacks in the entertainment industry. Interestingly, in the aftermath of these controversies, the current generation of black entertainers has been left holding the blame for promoting negative stereotypes in popular culture. At the same time, these racially tinged media incidents have raised questions about differences in popular culture intended for white or black consumption. Today, a heated debate continues within the African American community centered on what responsibility black actors and actress have within the entertainment industry . With the 2012 success of black actresses Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer in the film The Help and the continual controversy regarding blacks within the music industry, black entertainers currently are bearing a heavier burden concerning race and gender within their public performances .4 African American entertainers often are blamed for the continuing racist ideology present in mass media. For instance, after making racist and sexist comments on a publicly televised radio show, Don Imus defended his comments by stating, “I may be a white man, but I know that . . . young black women all through society are demeaned and disparaged and disrespected by their own black men.” Currently, the African American community is involved in an introspective debate on the racial responsibility of black entertainers. Conversations regarding the prevalence of racist ideology in mainstream entertainment have seriously neglected the historical significance of these events. The racist 194 Epilogue ideology prevalent in mass media has become inappropriately legitimized due to the pervasiveness of African Americans reenacting black stereotypes. This phenomenon has deep historical roots, running all the way back to the beginning of the institution of American racial slavery. This work has revealed the foundation and infiltration of black stereotypes into the entertainment culture in the United States. Rejecting the notion that African...