DVD Review: Chappelle's Show - The Lost Episodes

Chappelle's Show - The Lost Episodes: Torgo approves

I think I've mentioned before how we don't have cable. With every tv show being released on dvd, it's increasingly hard to feel left out.

On Friday, Netflix gave us "Chappelle's Show - The Lost Episodes." I've been an off-and-on fan of Chappelle's Show. I think Dave Chappelle is great. "Block Party" was terrific. I like his stand-up. I like many of the sketches on his show. However, I don't always like the approach to racism on the show. He said he left the show, in part, because he worried that instead of parodying stereotypes, he was beginning to reinforce them. I think that's true.

Despite how vile the concept of airing these "lost episodes" is (done w/o consulting Chappelle and mostly just exploiting every skit he filmed before leaving), there are many things worth seeing here. First of all, there are some hilarious sketches. Many of them deal with Chappelle's newfound riches and, in hindsight, clearly make his departure less of a surprise. There's also a terrific sketch about posthumous Tupac cds. It's funny, that one isn't about Chappelle, but in a way it documents the same thing that's happened to him with this dvd.

The notorious "Pixie" sketch, where different races are shown with pixies who send up common racial stereotypes, comes in the second of three episodes. The sketch is funny, but in what is perhaps the only redeeming aspect of the producers milking Chappelle's material, they decided to have an open forum with the audience on whether or not the sketch should have aired. That was a good idea. It leads to some good discussion.

In a more telling moment, on the dvd extras, the two co-hosts are shown discussing the sketch with the director. They're debating the racism of the black pixie, who tries to convince Chappelle to get fried chicken while dancing to banjo music. One of the co-hosts says that he thinks the banjo takes it too far. The director says, "Would it make a difference if you knew it's Mos Def playing the banjo?"

First of all, is there anything Mos Def can't do? Who is this guy? I first knew him as a rapper. Then a legitimate stage and screen actor. In "Block Party," he plays the drums. Now the banjo?

But more importantly, the white director is asking the black co-hosts if it's less racist because a black musician is performing. No, of course not. But this discussion, along with the forum with the audience, made me wish that more of Chappelle's show had been like this. Great comedy that pushes things to the point of being uncomfortable followed by quality discussions of what just happened. That's probably not as good as tv.