“Why does our trauma trigger applause?”
asks the ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt.
The national director of the Anti-Defamation League has criticizedDave Chappelle’sSaturday Night Livemonologue for “popularizing” anti-Semitism.
Dave Chappelle hosts ‘Saturday Night Live’.Will Heath/NBC
“Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn?
Why does our trauma trigger applause?”
“And that, Kanye, is how you buy yourself some time.”
He added that West “broke the show business rules.”
Chappelle said, “You know, the rules of perception.
If they’re Black, it’s a gang.
If they’re Italian, it’s a mob.
If they’re Jewish, it’s a coincidence and you should never speak about it.”
“It’s a lot of Jews.
But that doesn’t mean anything.
You know what I mean?
Chappelle added that it “shouldn’t be this scary to talk about anything.
It’s making my job incredibly difficult.
And to be honest with you, I’m sick of talking to a crowd like this.
I love you to death and I thank you for your support.
And I hope they don’t take anything away from me.
Whoever they are.”
InEW’s recap of the episode, formerSNLcast member Gary Kroeger weighed in on Chappelle’s monologue.
“I’ve learned to never try and predict a Chappelle monologue,” said Kroeger.
“His gift, like only a few others, is his clarity.
He is a genuine comedic monologuist.
He is topical without the constraints of being ‘topical.'”
He added, “I don’t look for things I approve of or don’t approve of.
Comedy is a personal taste, and satire has personal parameters.
There will always be things one person likes and another hates.
There will always be things one person finds offensive and another doesn’t.
I like comedy to stand apart, as best it can.”
