Sticks & Stones may be Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix standup special, but the comedian’s subject matter seems to belong in the series of specials released on the streaming service two years ago.
Chappelle has found himself once again talking about the accusations made against Michael Jackson, to mixed reviews. “I'm going to say something I'm not allowed to say, but I gotta be real: I don't believe these motherfuckers,” Chappelle tells the crowd in reference to the two accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, featured in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland.
Chappelle, tackling cancel culture, declared that “Michael Jackson’s been dead for 10 years, and this n***a’s got two new cases.”
The comedian also commented on the R. Kelly sexual assault allegations.
In the special, Chappelle once again went on about the transgender community. “They're so confusing," he said. "I think they need to take some responsibility for my jokes because I didn't come up with this idea on my own. This idea that a person can be born in the wrong body – they have to admit, that's a (expletive) hilarious predicament.”
His comments on trans issues lead him down this thought about an Asian person feeling trapped inside a black man’s body: “What if I was Chinese but born in this (expletive) body – that's not funny?" he said, squinting his eyes. "And the rest of my life, I had to go around making that face: 'Hey, everybody, I'm Chinese!' And then everybody get mad: 'Stop making that face, that's offensive.' 'What? This is how I feel inside.'”
Elsewhere in the special, Chappelle took on mass shootings. “If you're a parent, this shit is terrifying ... because we know as parents that one of us is raising the shooter. We just don't know which one of us it is," Chappelle said. “All we know for sure is that if you're white parents, the chances that it's you are exponentially higher than the rest of us. Shooting up schools is a white kid's game."
Sticks & Stones is now available to stream on Netflix.
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