Dave Chappelle got five on it—five Netflix comedy specials, that is.
The comedian’s fifth special, titled Sticks & Stones, now has a trailer and its narrated by none other than the most booked narrator in the entire universe, Morgan Freeman. Freeman introduces us to a solitary Chappelle and ponders on the popular comedian’s rollercoaster journey.
As Deadline nicely summarizes:
Chappelle was the mastermind behind the 2003 sketch comedy hit, The Chappelle Show—one of the highest rated programs on Comedy Central. The show earned three Emmy nominations, but ended abruptly when the star walked away. It went on to become the best-selling TV show in DVD history.
Chappelle won his first Emmy in 2017 for his debut episode on Saturday Night Live. He celebrated his 30th year in comedy that same year by releasing four stand-up specials on Netflix, all of which won Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album in 2018 and 2019. He captured his second Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special with Equanimity in 2018.
“If you say anything, you risk everything,” Freeman muses at the trailer’s conclusion. “But, if that’s the way it’s got to be, okay fine, fuck it. He’s back, folks.”
With that line, I couldn’t help but think of the criticism Chappelle received for the content of two of his specials, The Bird Revelation and Equanimity. Chappelle was taken to task for how he addressed the #MeToo movement and the transgender community.
I’m thinking, not unlike Aziz Ansari’s Right Now special, Chappelle will directly address the controversy surrounding him on his own terms. Maybe it’ll be a thoughtful approach; maybe it’ll be more of the same. We shall see.
Sticks & Stones premieres on Netflix August 26.