Right up front, I'm not a Dave Chappelle fan and have not seen any of his prior work. I would not have watched this Netflix special if the current controversy surrounding it were more muted. Having seen it, I'm not sure whether I'd go back to watch any of his other stand-up routines. But here's the thing. The guy had something to say, and he came out and said it. You can call it misogynistic or gay bashing or transphobic, but in the current climate of woke culture, what he's saying needed to be said. And not only that, but to be heard, which is more of an issue I think, than accusing the guy of things that he is not. He backs up everything he talked about with real life examples in which he had to confront hostile or negative people responding to his brand of humor. And even when he spells it out in plain English, you still have folks who either intentionally misinterpret or downright refuse to accept what he has to say. I'm not going to proclaim him some kind of hero for 'The Closer', but I think it took at least a small amount of courage to present this show the way he did. In the end, I think he offered some pretty profound stuff in his own inimitable fashion, and all you have to do is take a breath and listen.
526 Reviews
It's more than (just) comedy
Ibot1015 October 2021
Was it the funniest special? With the most jokes? - No, probably not.
Was it captivating and entertaining? - Hell, yes!
As most people have already understood: Dave Chappelle is not JUST jokes (anymore). He kind of transcended comedy in the past few years and grew into his role as a great story teller who holds the mirror up to society, talking about sensitive topics, making controversial statements while keeping his great punchlines. And you could feel that this special was particularly important to him.
For sure, I have laughed more in other specials of his but this doesn't mean the jokes or the special itself weren't as good, it's just different and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Although I understand and appreciate him talking about these sensitive and sometimes serious topics, I also hope we get to see him more light-hearted in the future again.
Was it captivating and entertaining? - Hell, yes!
As most people have already understood: Dave Chappelle is not JUST jokes (anymore). He kind of transcended comedy in the past few years and grew into his role as a great story teller who holds the mirror up to society, talking about sensitive topics, making controversial statements while keeping his great punchlines. And you could feel that this special was particularly important to him.
For sure, I have laughed more in other specials of his but this doesn't mean the jokes or the special itself weren't as good, it's just different and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Although I understand and appreciate him talking about these sensitive and sometimes serious topics, I also hope we get to see him more light-hearted in the future again.
Solid closing
jellopuke9 October 2021
This is really more of a raconteur at work that pure stand up. It's funny, but he has a point and wants to make it clear. He circles around it multiple times, and brings you where he wants you to be. Some people may be offended, but thats hardly an indictment, people are offended by almost everything now. A strong hour overall.
Daphne you are a legend, wherever you are.
Ashitaka13711 October 2021
Beautiful, Tragic, Hilarious
RussHog10 October 2021
This was one of Dave's best stand up skits. I don't want to write anything that can upset anyone, but I think Dave's point is that human experience is what unites people - not unrealistic changes to the rules or double-speak language. The final twenty minutes of this standup is a heartbreaking beautiful and hilarious story about his brief friendship with a trans woman and he does not hold back on his disgust with the way twitter mobs treated his friend. Highly recommended critique of our times.
So much better than expected
MovieCriticOnline7 October 2021
Dave has always been current, provocative, and funny asf and all in a good way since his days on the Chapelle show.
Then in 2020, he got a bit serious and perhaps a bit angrier with a show or two when we needed him the most during the riots, which was a bit of a disappointment to me. I thought he had lost his edge. However, The Closer showed that he didn't lose his edge, but is back in a strong sense with NFG.
This was so refreshing to see a comedian talk about whatever topic and not worry if he would get canceled. I hope more people will take notice and speak their minds and truth and not worry about consequences.
Definitely a must-watch.
Then in 2020, he got a bit serious and perhaps a bit angrier with a show or two when we needed him the most during the riots, which was a bit of a disappointment to me. I thought he had lost his edge. However, The Closer showed that he didn't lose his edge, but is back in a strong sense with NFG.
This was so refreshing to see a comedian talk about whatever topic and not worry if he would get canceled. I hope more people will take notice and speak their minds and truth and not worry about consequences.
Definitely a must-watch.
Lessons
PedroPires909 October 2021
Even if most think they are funny and like a good time laughing, real humor is not for everybody. Laughing about ourselves is not for most humans and we live in a time that every single tweet/joke/phrase offends some people, who don't even try to understand the other side or the goal of a simple joke. People are not ready, people don't want to laugh about themselves.
Dave Chappelle is probably the best ever and people who really understand humour will always care and recognise that. This show is more serious than usual on him but with a perfect balance between humor and lessons. He will never be cancelled.
Dave Chappelle is probably the best ever and people who really understand humour will always care and recognise that. This show is more serious than usual on him but with a perfect balance between humor and lessons. He will never be cancelled.
Dave does it again!
Med-Jasta7 October 2021
I'm always amazed with Chappelle. He's funny, insightful and says what everyone is afraid to. Because he's not black and white on issues, he's grey. And in these times, that's not easy to do. And it's never easy to do because it requires you to open up and reveal what you really think. And not conform to what your group thinks. To do this you have to be a maverick. And it's not easy.
In these times of social media cliques, outrage, oversensitivity and cancel culture to have your own opinion isn't acceptable. Each side wants you to agree without question or else you're the enemy. Well I have my own thoughts and I see the holes in many of these causes. That not everybody that identifies with them is genuine And so does Chappelle. And I agree with almost everything he says. It's nice to see someone else saying it to know that I'm not alone. I'm sure others feel the same way. And that's why we need Dave. He thinks what I think and says it much better than I could and makes it funny. And puts it ways that I could never articulate or think of like him. Dave's a smart guy. He looks at things and questions them. He doesn't close his eyes and repeat what he's supposed to. To think that Dave is transphobic only means one thing: you aren't listening. And that's exactly what's wrong with these days. No one is really listening.
So many of us are supportive of everything gay but are confused by the ever changing meanings of definitions and the whole trans thing in general. I don't understand it completely but I do the best I can. No matter what I'll be supportive, because a human is still a human and I'll never discriminate. And there needs to be dialogue between us to help understand. There isn't going to be when the standard is that we can't even ask questions without being branded as the enemy.
I question every part of life. They're no different. People shouldn't follow with blind acceptance. You should always think about life and the meanings behind everything for yourself. And Dave is the only one brave enough to do this in public. Every single person I know is accepting but confused. And they're all afraid to bring it up to other's because they don't want to be called a Nazi. When I bring it up to friends they are so happy that they aren't alone with their thoughts. And they are always supportive but confused and it's nice to talk about it to find a better understanding and not feel alone. And why do we usually start talking about this? A Chappelle stand up special.
We need people that are brave enough to reflect the voice of people instead of living in this world of fear where everyone is afraid to ask questions to better understand something. Lying about human behavior isn't going to get us anywhere. Repression is never good. Especially out of fear. Let's not forget that straight people are the majority. The trans are the minority. They're even a minority of a minority. The internet would have you believe this is reversed.
Not the funniest of his specials but it's not like his jokes fail. It's just not as funny as some others. It's just as good. It's almost not the point to laugh. Dave is talking about real stuff and it's funny along the way.
And another thing. Just because one trans person or person from a group says they feel a certain way about something, that doesn't represent the entire group. The internet loves to do this but we all have our own thoughts no matter what race, religion or sex we are.
In these times of social media cliques, outrage, oversensitivity and cancel culture to have your own opinion isn't acceptable. Each side wants you to agree without question or else you're the enemy. Well I have my own thoughts and I see the holes in many of these causes. That not everybody that identifies with them is genuine And so does Chappelle. And I agree with almost everything he says. It's nice to see someone else saying it to know that I'm not alone. I'm sure others feel the same way. And that's why we need Dave. He thinks what I think and says it much better than I could and makes it funny. And puts it ways that I could never articulate or think of like him. Dave's a smart guy. He looks at things and questions them. He doesn't close his eyes and repeat what he's supposed to. To think that Dave is transphobic only means one thing: you aren't listening. And that's exactly what's wrong with these days. No one is really listening.
So many of us are supportive of everything gay but are confused by the ever changing meanings of definitions and the whole trans thing in general. I don't understand it completely but I do the best I can. No matter what I'll be supportive, because a human is still a human and I'll never discriminate. And there needs to be dialogue between us to help understand. There isn't going to be when the standard is that we can't even ask questions without being branded as the enemy.
I question every part of life. They're no different. People shouldn't follow with blind acceptance. You should always think about life and the meanings behind everything for yourself. And Dave is the only one brave enough to do this in public. Every single person I know is accepting but confused. And they're all afraid to bring it up to other's because they don't want to be called a Nazi. When I bring it up to friends they are so happy that they aren't alone with their thoughts. And they are always supportive but confused and it's nice to talk about it to find a better understanding and not feel alone. And why do we usually start talking about this? A Chappelle stand up special.
We need people that are brave enough to reflect the voice of people instead of living in this world of fear where everyone is afraid to ask questions to better understand something. Lying about human behavior isn't going to get us anywhere. Repression is never good. Especially out of fear. Let's not forget that straight people are the majority. The trans are the minority. They're even a minority of a minority. The internet would have you believe this is reversed.
Not the funniest of his specials but it's not like his jokes fail. It's just not as funny as some others. It's just as good. It's almost not the point to laugh. Dave is talking about real stuff and it's funny along the way.
And another thing. Just because one trans person or person from a group says they feel a certain way about something, that doesn't represent the entire group. The internet loves to do this but we all have our own thoughts no matter what race, religion or sex we are.
Anti Woke
celt00712 October 2021
Its is not so much a comedy show but a conversation of social observation , with a bit of humour .
Much of what he says is true and reflects the majority of peoples attitudes .
There are funny moments but not laugh out loud .
If anything it is a social experiment where Dave knowingly blasts the woke , politically , correct mob in the face with double barrel shotgun of things we are not suppose to talk about .
He will catch hell for it by some but in the end thats the genius of it .
As a comedy special it lacks laughs. As a political movement commentary it is perhaps the first step in a bigger movement to take back the comedic industry from the woke mob.
Much of what he says is true and reflects the majority of peoples attitudes .
There are funny moments but not laugh out loud .
If anything it is a social experiment where Dave knowingly blasts the woke , politically , correct mob in the face with double barrel shotgun of things we are not suppose to talk about .
He will catch hell for it by some but in the end thats the genius of it .
As a comedy special it lacks laughs. As a political movement commentary it is perhaps the first step in a bigger movement to take back the comedic industry from the woke mob.
Dave will always make us take a close look at ourselves
shcoleman7 October 2021
I will always think that Dave Chappelle is a master at accurately capturing the human contradiction and showing it to us in comedy. How else could someone present such travesties really? Humans think they are so much better, so set apart, so altruist and good. We think that so much that we will split into groups and start to throw stones at other groups. What irony! Dave captures these errors in humanity in such a clever way that I don't think I've ever seen, or will ever in my lifetime, see someone else be able to do it. And by "able" I mean take the blowback that comes from telling truth on a grand stage and poking fun. I know you either love him or hate him. I think he is a genius. And he loves humanity. He loves people. He would not be able to do this if he couldn't see it all. He truly is the GOAT!
Mediocre by Dave Chapelle Standards
TheOtherUprising26 October 2021
Don't get me wrong there is some good jokes here especially in the first half however I felt like his feud with the trans community sucked too much oxygen and too much humor out of the room. It felt like at a certain point it stopped being about the comedy and more about Dave defending himself. Of course he has a right to do this but it doesn't make for great comedy.
I hope he meant what he said at the very end where he declared that he was done joking about the trans community until we are all laughing together. That will take some time and some engaging with their community on his part but I hope for the best.
I still think Dave is one of the great comedians of his generation and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
I hope he meant what he said at the very end where he declared that he was done joking about the trans community until we are all laughing together. That will take some time and some engaging with their community on his part but I hope for the best.
I still think Dave is one of the great comedians of his generation and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
Smiled a Few Times
hannesjungbeck6 October 2021
Dave Chapelle is an absolute legend and one of the greatest comedians of our generation. His 'Killing Them Softly' is hilarious and timeless, and his somewhat recent 'Bird Revelation' and 'Equanimity' had some great bits as well, along with '8:46' which was both relevant and important.
This one however, I felt like was about 5-6 years outdated and boring. What happened to his characters and well written, thought out jokes? The whole theme was just not interesting and it felt more like he read from a comment section online than actual experiences.
I don't even think he pushed the envelope as much as he used to, or had to chance to do here, and the whole special just felt so 2021-beat-around-the-bush-esque. Maybe he should chill with specials for a while after all...
This one however, I felt like was about 5-6 years outdated and boring. What happened to his characters and well written, thought out jokes? The whole theme was just not interesting and it felt more like he read from a comment section online than actual experiences.
I don't even think he pushed the envelope as much as he used to, or had to chance to do here, and the whole special just felt so 2021-beat-around-the-bush-esque. Maybe he should chill with specials for a while after all...
Great critique, great homage, great closer.
eunbi05305 October 2021
Dave Chapelle does it again and nails his final act for his Netflix's productions. Dave is, yet again, precise on his social jokes that people shouldn't stop taking them seriously and consider what he means by that, before Dave wouldn't say anything about them, he would probably hope that people would get what he meant, years went by and he noticed that people are THAT dull, so now he points out, and I might be misquoting, "Don't take what I say literally, understand that what I am saying is a critique to our society".
Dave doesn't backs down, nor does he pull the punches on the things he argues that are being done wrong, but he also points out what they are doing wrong.
I'm glad someone like Dave Chapelle exists and I am also glad that he stepped down for now, I don't know what his next projects will be, but I think he should leave the scene, at least for these specials, for some time. People should absorb what he said, specially those that he is criticising, otherwise, if he kept doing these shows, his words would be for nothing.
Dave doesn't backs down, nor does he pull the punches on the things he argues that are being done wrong, but he also points out what they are doing wrong.
I'm glad someone like Dave Chapelle exists and I am also glad that he stepped down for now, I don't know what his next projects will be, but I think he should leave the scene, at least for these specials, for some time. People should absorb what he said, specially those that he is criticising, otherwise, if he kept doing these shows, his words would be for nothing.
Intelligent and funny. Dave is the GOAT.
darrel0766 October 2021
Dave Dose It Again better Then Ever!!
solojere5 October 2021
Just when you think he can't get any better at critiquing society, Dave Chappelle goes and does it. And in fact, he does it better than he ever has before. He talks about everything that we as a society are afraid to discuss, and he says it how it is. No one would dare go wear Dave goes. Everyone must watch this if for no other reason to see the world in a new light.
Terrific
shikhardalela5 October 2021
Read between the lines
estelle587 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I won't say too much here except for all of those up in arms about Dave's professed "TERFness" listen very carefully about his friend who bombed on stage, but was in real life very funny, yet so painfully sad inside. Notice how Dave honors his friend. Is this the action of a true transphobic?
One of the greatest pieces of comedy in history
CatDayAfternoon11 October 2021
This is more than comedy, it's a timely statement about society today and if everyone would listen to him instead of wringing their hands and trying to seek revenge on him for hurting your feelings you might learn something. Your feelings are not Dave's fault. I don't think anyone has been this powerful in a comedy routine since George Carlin or Sam Kinison. There is a lot more going on here than laughs I can tell you that much (even though there are a ton of them). Just watch it start to finish. If you're not moved by the end, you're dead.
Dave in the Catbird Seat
st-shot11 October 2021
In this era of cancel culture and intersectionality Dave Chappelle is in an enviable position as a Black male hovering at the top of this sacred cow list. In his latest stand-up he uses this cachet to comically expound on transgenderism much to the chagrin of the easily offended. Chappelle also takes shots at whites in Michigan and Mike Pence (an amazingly Trump free stand-up) but that is standard fare targeting a group with big shoulders, use to the ribbing. Transgenders are another story however who brook no criticism and this may be a watershed moment with Chappelle having the nerve to play no favorites, declaring his right to say as he pleases as a humorist. The show does have some slow moments but they remain blips in this mostly funny stand-up that should have reverberations in the days ahead, pitting two intersectional titans against each other.
Another one!
T2TLED6 October 2021
Not his best, but for the most part very good
Jeremy_Urquhart5 October 2021
A finale of sorts to Chappelle's latest run of Netflix specials. Much of it deals with the controversy that his previous specials have caused, and as a response, contextualisation, and a request for some empathy and understanding, I think it mostly works.
I can kind of see both sides (and it's not a clash I'm personally invested in), but maybe some of my lack of passion for one side comes from just being confused and exhausted about the extent and pervasiveness of the Chappelle-related controversy to begin with.
The balance of comedy and more serious aspects is pulled off mostly well, but not flawlessly. I will say the last 20 minutes - when the serious stuff gets more prominent and there might be a few less jokes - comprise the strongest part of the special.
I don't think any of Chappelle's Netflix specials reach the heights of his early 2000s work (Killin' Them Softly in particular is one of the funniest standup specials of all time), but his style's mellowed out a little bit and he's become more interested in blending comedy with commentary, which has made him one of the more interesting comedians working today.
The Closer is a good (though maybe not quite great) finale to a good run of specials, and even if he has a break for a while, I hope this isn't the last we see of Chappelle on stage.
I can kind of see both sides (and it's not a clash I'm personally invested in), but maybe some of my lack of passion for one side comes from just being confused and exhausted about the extent and pervasiveness of the Chappelle-related controversy to begin with.
The balance of comedy and more serious aspects is pulled off mostly well, but not flawlessly. I will say the last 20 minutes - when the serious stuff gets more prominent and there might be a few less jokes - comprise the strongest part of the special.
I don't think any of Chappelle's Netflix specials reach the heights of his early 2000s work (Killin' Them Softly in particular is one of the funniest standup specials of all time), but his style's mellowed out a little bit and he's become more interested in blending comedy with commentary, which has made him one of the more interesting comedians working today.
The Closer is a good (though maybe not quite great) finale to a good run of specials, and even if he has a break for a while, I hope this isn't the last we see of Chappelle on stage.
Perfection
mariusica5 October 2021
I Love You Dave, But....
learningbreezee8 October 2021
Huge fan of his comedy, but in the past few years it has gone from jaw dropping funny to sentimental and white hating. Maybe I am bias because I am white, but isn't this special going to further create a divide by labeling race? Rather than seeing people as people? His show was perfect he laid out all the stereotypes and it was funny but not today. More becoming the victim even tho he's famous and rich? Be a comedian!! Stop with the messages tell and joke and be done.
Once again...
harryokin7 October 2021
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