Black History Month 2009: Day 22

Alright this is it. The final week of Black History Month. 21 days down but 7 days to go in the countdown. So far, we've seen the likes of sports analysts, animated characters, reality show stars, and yes, even a smoke monster. But what does Luke have in store for us in this exciting final week? You'll just have to find out by checking the blog each week. And again, I hope you've been checking out his posts. On a scale of 1-10, my blog entries are around a 2.5. Luke's range from 8.5 to 10. (Russian judge has been giving him 6 and 7, but she's tough). So if you've missed the last 21, don't miss the final 7. You won't regret it.

February 22, 2009
#7 - Dave Chappelle/Wayne Brady - "Chappelle's Show"

Read Luke's full post here (re-live the show)

Luke's Take: Okay, this spot is more for the genius of Dave Chappelle, but I wanted a way to include Wayne Brady as well. The skit (couldn't find the entire bit online) has Dave and Wayne driving around the city is my favorite from The Chappelle Show, by far. Wayne Brady was made fun of by Dave on an earlier episode during a Q&A session. The question was asked, "why do white people love Wayne Brady so much?" The reply was, "white people love Wayne Brady, because Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X." Doesn't get too much better than that. Well, I thought so too, until this skit aired. Enjoy.

My Take: Well, you know I love the pick. I mean, who doesn't? What Dave Chappelle did with his show was comic genius. He pushed the envelope in so many ways but it was so damn funny that you almost forgot he was making fun of Whites and Blacks. The skits were so funny too, they were memorable. I remember in high school, hearing my friends talking about the show all the time. I was a late bloomer so I had no clue what they were talking about. But once I caught up, I saw what I had been missing. Pure comic gold.

The inclusion of Wayne Brady is important because that skit may have been the best (tough to pick one though - racial draft is up there for me). Seeing Wayne Brady so out of his "character" was hilarious. It is a shame that Chappelle stopped doing the show because I am convinced it was only going to get better. In just two years, he was turning into the most popular Black comedian of our generation. In fact, he still may be. While my parents grew up with the likes of Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx and Bill Cosby, my generation hasn't been as lucky. I mean, Nick Cannon and Kenan Thompson have tried but only Dave Chappelle had a following. And that's because he deserved it.

B.H.M. Quote Of The Day: "It is a blessing to die for a cause, because you can so easily die for nothing." ~Andrew Young