Why Dave Chappelle, Likely, Brought up “Pimp” by Iceberg Slim to Explain His Departure From Comedy Central
Being a fan of Chappelle, someone who can identify with quite a bit of his thinking, this is my takeaway from The Bird Revelation, when it comes to him bringing up “Pimp” by Iceberg Slim to explain his Departure from Comedy Central. For Comedy Central, essentially, yes – Chappelle was their bottom b—-. One who reached the…
User Review
( votes)Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
Being a fan of Chappelle, someone who can identify with quite a bit of his thinking, this is my takeaway from The Bird Revelation, when it comes to him bringing up “Pimp” by Iceberg Slim to explain his Departure from Comedy Central.
For Comedy Central, essentially, yes – Chappelle was their bottom b—-. One who reached the end of his mileage for he felt he was no longer in on the joke. However, rather than them setting him up to trap him, they instead used the name recognition for a season without Chappelle and, based off his feelings on Key and Peele, Mind of Mencia, and Amy Schumer’s show, arguably that is how they extended his mileage. All the while, arguably, they kept him trapped by being part of this narrative of him being some crazy negro who walked away from 50 million. Which, in the words of Wendy Williams: “When you tell people—particularly white people—that they can keep their money, […] because you muthafuckas think that we’re all slaves to somebody, white people, people in general, almost lose their minds.” And so, while they perhaps did not blackball or blacklisted him, there is a chance they made it hard for him to bounce back after all was said and done. Like a pimp who uglies up a ho to make it so no one else would want them. Much less, it would be hard for them to survive without the pimp. Hence him also noting the part on how to break a strong-willed ho, You had to beat the hell out of them. Which, perhaps, he felt Comedy Central was trying to do to him. Perhaps w/ that 50 mill. Alongside the idea of we made you famous and we can make you unfamous, if not infamous. Something I believe Chappelle talked about in Inside the Actor’s Studio or in another interview.
I think that the analogy that Dave Chappelle was trying to make, was that although he was bottom bitch for Comedy Central, he had run out of mileage himself. He was both tired of being controlled and treated as though he had no say in any of the situation. He took control by leaving the game and came back as a pimp. Got his score and now will most likely disappear with the briefcase full of his own money.
Dave Chappelle is America’s Bottom Bitch.
He brings Viacom and Comedy Central the most money.
They can’t afford to lose him.
Not just because of the ratings and the money — but because like Iceberg’s bottom bitch… he keeps the other bitches in check – – in other words, he keeps the American public distracted and entertained while the ruling class rape and pillage, increasing the wealth disparity.
But they can tell his ‘mileage’ is reaching its limit. He starts saying crazy shit, like ‘I don’t want to go on… I want to do other things… I don’t want your $50 million…’.
So they framed him. Or, they got someone to frame him, or blackmail him.
And then they ’saved’ him from this messy situation —- so that he would go on with the show. And perhaps he did turn out 200 other tricks (or X number of episodes) for them.
Chappelle says: “Iceberg wants to control the women he finds uncontrollable. So he asks an older pimp how to do that. “Oh, that’s easy, Iceberg. All you have to do is beat that bitch with a coat hanger. And then run her a bath… and give her some pills. She’ll be so grateful that you fixed her, that she’ll forget you were the motherfucker that beat her in the first place.”
==> Interpretation: How do you control the rabble? Tax them, inflate away their savings, force them to watch violence, force them to work their life away for a pittance, sell them food that causes cancer, and then… give them welfare and pills and entertainment… they’ll be grateful you ‘fixed’ them.
Chappelle didn’t want to be America’s Bottom Bitch anymore, and left the show, to preserve his integrity and morals.
Anyone that has worked in corporate America in the last 40 years will relate to the bottom bitch role described by Chappelle. And even more so if you worked in middle management, where the financial incentives dried up long ago…but a lucrative salary and hideous hours were the table stakes.
I dont think Comedy central is the pimp. I think its the industry as a whole. Dave is 1 of many “bottom bitches”. I know folks who dont believe in secret societies or illuminati laugh at those who do, but that fake murder made a hoe that was leaving, stay. What if the industry has something on him? What if they cleaned up something for him that he later realized they set up in the first place. What if his return, was his 6 more months of turning tricks. What made a guy, who was gone for 12 years come back from essentially the dead? These specials may in fact be the fulfillment of an obligation he made years ago.
I just watched the special, and I think this is a brilliant analysis. I also think the message is that, as individuals, we are all vulnerable; to wit, even a strong, smart, and talented man like Dave Chapelle can be treated like a “bottom bitch”. Only by taking care of each other, and standing together against the abusers, the exploitation, the greedy, the sociopaths, indeed, against the pimps, can we as a human race live together in peace and harmony. We have to resist the urge to be divided and instead stand up for what is right and good.
I don’t disagree with these analyses, however, what about the idea that, although on one level, Chapelle was the bottom bitch, and Comedy Central was the pimp, but I have a sneaking suspicioin that Chapelle might also feel on some level that he is the piimp, and that we, the audience, or perhaps america, or perhaps white america, are his bottom bitch, and that his leaving for Africa for 12 years was an elaborate stunt, similar to the pimp’s fake “murder”, the purpose of which was to make us love him even more. I just don’t think that the version in which CC is the pimp is all there is to it.
In any event, Dave Chappele is clearly the best comic of our age, and one of the most honest, insightful, social and political critics alive today, or even perhaps, ever. And he is so, so, so, so funny, which is really the only reasonable metric for measuring comedy. Way to go Mr. Chapelle, keep it up!
Thank you….I was attempting to place the analogy of the book with what he went through and couldn’t quite make the connection…whether you’re right or not I can’t say but it satisfies me…In either end, one thing I’m certain of…..Chappelle’s a genious
some of it’s true, some of it not. True to form Chappelle was usually full of it, he over talks himself and then reduces his own credibility. but then that’s the hook. is it all for show? the SJW junk he inserted? the shameful plug of another ‘artist, author or singer’ in his show. that’s up to his sucker viewership. he said it plainly that he doesn’t want to be a hero, but he sure plays the part for the money.
I must say this is a very elaborate and honestly such a well delivered piece by chappelle, and the Amari knocked the nail on the head with this analyses. Was an amazing read and completely spot on.
I really hate analogizing the quasi-sexual enslavement (coersion?) of women as Chappelle nolonger doing lucrative comedy, especially when told through the copious use of the word bitch. The “pimp critique” was implied because the masterful storytelling subsumed it.
You got it wrong.
During the time he was with Comedy Central they squeezed every drop of juice out of his name. Used him in every possible way. Everyone was eating off of Chappelle Show BUT Chappelle. Chappelle show knock offs were being green lit before he quit.
He was worn out and had enough after 2 seasons. He wanted out. Mentally exhausted. But Comedy Central wasn’t looking out for his well being. So they pulled up the Brinks truck on him filled with money. Money that HE probably had made for Comedy Central. It was such stupid money that there was no way he could say no. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were other fucked up things in the contract that made matters worse. That was the trap.
During the filming of season 3 he broke down mentally and left. Deciding that he wouldn’t be the bottom bitch anymore. A decision that Icebergs slims bottom didn’t make. Chappelle left all the money on the table and more importantly made sure that Comedy Central wouldn’t be able to hoe him out anymore. If it was up to Comedy Central they would have strung him along for hundreds of millions of more dollars at the expense of his mental health.
That’s the exact same thing the article said….how’d he get it wrong?
You’re just summarizing the article. How is it wrong? ?
I’m guessing your comment is meant for the first commenter?
That quote from Wendy Williams is spot on. #TruerWords.
Happy New Year! 🙂
Same to you 🙂