12:2:22

I finally watched Chappelle’s SNL opening monologue from early November, where he talks about the “rules of perception” and the fear of talking.

It was interesting when he referred to Trump as an “honest liar.” Honest for being open about the system being rigged and how Trump has personally admitted to benefiting from that nepotism and dishonesty. When Chappelle put it this way, I realized he is also observing the fundamental difference between the 20th century and the 21st century. Which is to say, the honest liars versus the dishonest liars.

Chappelle ended his monologue by stating: “It shouldn’t be this scary to talk about anything” because as Dave Smith put it about Kanye recently storming off Tim Pool’s podcast: “the most important truths are controversial.” Even though he is Jewish, Smith at least believes in free speech all the way, which is commendable because it is so rare. We cannot privilege free speech around protected identities, even if and when it hurts someone personally. You either believe people have a right to speak their mind, or you don’t. I’ve certainly weathered all kinds of offense, retaliation, and attack in my life for my views and choices and no one defended me but me.

Put simply, it is the comedian’s job to ask questions. To talk about anything. We don’t have to like it, but we should be able to stand hearing it.

The fear of being attacked for one’s opinions is really about the fear of having to defend one’s views and beliefs, which very few people have it within them to do anymore—about anything—whether they are right or wrong. So they would rather follow the pendulous rules of censorship and perception, as Chappelle points out, than speak their mind and stand their ground.

As Bresson told the Cannes press when they attacked him about L’Argent in 1983, “I’m on my own side.”

Me too.