“I think we should cut artists, a very, very wide berth in terms of the way they decide to express themselves and create.
The fact is, we are getting inflamed against each other. We’re attacking people for having different points of view, or expressing themselves in a way that upsets maybe a subset of us. And that’s, to me, something that we should be more open about in what should be an open and free society.
Forty-two percent of Republicans and Democrats regard the other side as evil or their mortal enemies, and that kind of toxic culture is what we have to counteract and bring down as quickly as possible.”Andrew Yang speaking to Hill.TV’s “Rising” about Dave Chappelle’s transphobic comedy special on Netflix.
Donston
Describing the special as “transphobic” is a mistake. Some of Chappelle’s comments afterwards were messy, troll-like and designed to inflame. But the actual special wasn’t trans-phobic.
However, Yang’s quote is shit. It sounds like he’s excusing hate and coming off entirely driven by profit. So many people have no clue how to properly do damage control.
cliche guevara
I watched it and the bit about trans people was certainly transphobic. Between siding with TERFs, comparing being trans to blackface and using derogatory terms for trans people it’s hard to see it as anything but transphobic. The only conclusion one can reasonably draw about those saying that it isn’t is that they bigoted as well.
LumpyPillows
Funny, I did not come away with the same conclusion. Perspective is an interesting aspect to art. I can see how some people might be triggered by his jokes. He, like most people, refuse to accept there are no meaningful differences between trans people and non-trans; which some of you hate, but its true. Demanding we consent to the trans women are women dogma is counter productive.
Ultimately, I can’t see how people think they have the right to censor comedians and artists. Seriously, if you don’t understand the serious issues and questions revolving around transgender integration into society, you are naive and should not be driving policy. So, yeah, I agree with Yang on this one.
Donston
Actually, there’s a good amount of trans people who don’t find the special trans-phobic. They see it as “jokes”. And they were thankful to Chapelle for putting a light on the trans struggles. One of those people includes my best friend. I personally don’t see the special as “trans-phobic”. That doesn’t mean I’m bigoted. Nor do I agree with people who see the special as Chapelles gift to trans people or some shit. The jokes were insensitive to say the least even if there was sentiment behind it. I just always think it’s not a comedian’s place to make jokes about people society views as lower than them and to try to use their struggles for humor. His comments after the special though just things worse.
LumpyPillows
Like Joan Rivers! She was the worst! Oh, I jest. I can see your point about not liking comedy that you think is mean spirited or targets the vulnerable. I concur with that. We don’t get to cancel people though. Its gotten quite toxic on the far left and it undermines us all.
cliche guevara
@Lumpy
Where did I say anyone should be censored, canceled or not allowed to speak? I didn’t, you made that up. There is not meaningful or rational conversation to be had with someone that simply makes things up.
cliche guevara
@Dontson
I’ll look past totally aware that there are trans folks that are okay with the special. A good number? That’s kind of meaningless thing to say care to quantify that and cite a source? Seems like you are trying to inflate is support with vague language.
Anyway, I’m non-binary, part of the group that was belittled in the special. I’ll stand by my claim of bigotry any day.
LumpyPillows
You really aren’t paying attention, are you?
cliche guevara
@Lump
I’m paying enough attention to notice that you will change the subject to anything other than the actual subject being discussed. It’s a common approach for people that don’t really grasp critical thought.
ZzBomb
Fact: No body cares what a failed politician privileged rich kid has to say on anything. Go play with your toys.
LumpyPillows
Not actually factual, is it. Rude? Yes. Helpful? No.
madtown52761
One wonders what his opinion would be if the jokes were about the “China flu” and disparaging Asian people in general, going on and on about racial stereotypes and misinformation. I think he be singing a different song right now.
msfrost
My thoughts, exactly!!!
downtoearth
Thank you for pointing that out!! There’s always a “reasonable” excuse when the insults are hurled towards the LGBT community. We are the last frontier where its acceptable to discriminate against a culture. And it always gets turned around to where the culprit becomes the victim.
PerhapsYesNoMaybe
So he’s okay with anti-Asian humor? Unless he’s a massive hypocrite. Got it. How sad.
Creamsicle
How about asking Yang about something he actually cares about enough to run for office? Ask him questions about UBI and then maybe ask an entertainment critic, or critical theory academic to comment on the Chapelle special.
Fahd
Rand Paul, U.S. Senator, has made very similar statements about racism; asserting that American businesses should have the right to discriminate on the basis of race, because it is after all just a point of view and free speech and liberty, etc.
Yang made it through the 2020 primaries okay, I guess, but it has been a downward spiral since.
Mack
He’s wanting to start a third party since he can’t win, but he’ll draw votes away from the Democratic candidate like the berniebots did on Hillary.
Fahd
@Mack
Sounds like Republican wishful thinking to me.. Yang has talked himself out of much of the small support he once had, and he has plenty of time to lose what’s left (see this article).
Creamsicle
@Mack, if Democrats can’t convince people to vote for them, that is because their policies and outreach strategies are not compelling. Nobody should be shamed for objecting to the duopoly that has lead to a lower standard of living for working Americans over the past 40-50 years.
Fahd
@Creamsicle
I think you meant to write Republican….it all started with Nixon’s appeal to the George Wallace voter and then Ronald Reagan…A large percentage of working people have been voting against their own interests ever since. (see also Trump voter)
tjack47
If someone believes one thing, it’s almost impossible to change their minds. Freedom of speech allows for him to speak his mind. There are consequences for speech. Those who find it offensive can boycott his shows. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You do, in the long run, actually risk creating hatred that was once merely ignorance.
GreekKeys
Stating that men cannot, in fact, become women or, worse, are women is not a “different point of view.” It’s a undeniable biological fact. An “innate sense of self”, whatever that is, is the same thing as religious exemptions for the vaccine. Unsupportable, untrue and indefensible.
wikidBSTN
Could say that about Stalin and Hitler too. Just a different point of view.
Creamsicle
Garbage clickbait headline to a measured and anti-censorship response to a bait question.
This coverage of the Chapelle standup special is engineered outrage. If you don’t like Chapelle, don’t watch him. That’s the same advice that Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho, and all sorts of comics give to their detractors.
It was good enough advice to give to conservative critics when literally every comic was forced by insane circumstances to add at least one Trump bit in their act. David Cross even did a stand-up tour that amounted to just (justifiably) complaining about Trump, with a couple jokes thrown in. John Mullaney came up with his beautiful Horse in a Hospital metaphor. I thought we were supposed to be the ones who can tolerate different points of view and host open discussions?
cliche guevara
Invoking censorship is a red herring. He wasn’t asked about censorship and there was no suggestion that Dave Chapelle should be censored. Yang is suggesting that Chapelle shouldn’t be criticized. Also worth pointing out that Yang has a clear conflict of interest here as Chapelle is a financial supporter of his political aspirations.
BoomerMyles
There’s NO defence of transphobia. Trans Lives Matters!
mastik8
Transphobic?
BoomerMyles
Andrew Yang is no liberal. And with him trying to start a third party is a traitor to the left.
tallskin4
“Between siding with TERFs” – – I know, I know, the trans suicide rates have increased by 15,000% since the last David Chappelle show on Netflix
“comparing being trans to blackface” – – I can’t think why Chappelle would make such an outrageous remark. Can you?
“using derogatory terms for trans ” – I know, it’s awful. But those horrid and beastly gender critics cruelly mock trans people all the time. ALL THE TIME! They even say ghastly things such as “reality is transphobic” and “Biology is transphobic”
cliche guevara
I can think of the reason he made those remarks. Is the same reason for your remarks. Bigotry. ¯\_(?)_/¯