Twitter: @thelonechemist1
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Email: [email protected]

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Huge thank you to @HiTopFilms and @BenFromCanada (editor at @mrsundaymovies) for their feedback on the early drafts of this video!

Nerdwriter's video:    • Louis C.K. Is A Moral Detective  

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How Dave Chappelle uses Empathy
A Video Essay by The Lone Chemist

#davechappelle #netflix #netflixisajoke

“Sometimes the funniest thing to say is mean…So I say a lot of mean things, but you guys gotta remember: I’m not saying it to be mean. I’m saying it because it’s funny. And everything’s funny til it happens to you”
Opening line from The Bird Revelation (2017)


What makes Dave Chappelle so funny?

This seems like a silly question to ask, given that Chappelle is one of most prolific comedians of all time, praised by virtually every modern day comedian worth their weight.

Kevin Hart:
“Dave Chappelle is the baddest person to touch a microphone that’s alive right now.
“Chappelle is just different, man. He cannot be copied.”

From his big break following the success of Chappelle Show, to his roles in various films, and his success as a stand up comic, Chappelle is a juggernaut in the world of humor. So what is it about Chappelle’s style that makes him such a prescient voice in comedy? People will likely point to things like his unique comedic voice, the structure of his writing, his ability to read a crowd, his conversational delivery of jokes, or his mastery of timing akin to a jazz musician.

But I think there’s an aspect of Dave’s comedy that lies in the background of his masterful use of comedic principles – something that sets him apart from the titans of comedy, past and present. And I think it’s his manipulation of empathy.

What do I mean by this? Let’s take a look at one of his jokes.