Mythmaking and ambitious Melania a lot like Trump

AS DAVE Chappelle watched

George Floyd cry out for his dead mother, while a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, it conjured memories of the only other time the comedian had heard such a plea – from his own father on his deathbed.

“This kid thought he was going to die, he knew he was going to die,” Chappelle said.

Performing in front of an intimate, socially distanced crowd for a surprise Netflix special called

that dropped late last Thursday night, the comedian celebrated the nationwide protests sparked from Floyd’s death in recent weeks.

“What are you signifying, that you can kneel on a man’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds and feel like you wouldn’t get the wrath of God?” he asked.

For the special, which is streaming free on Netflix’s comedy YouTube channel, Chappelle performed a June 6 show at an outdoor pavilion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with about 100 attendees.

In the 27-minute performance, Chappelle told the small crowd that it took him a week to watch the video of Floyd’s death outside Cup Foods. He repeatedly referred to the length of time former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck, which served as the title of his special.

“I was born at 8:46 in the morning and they killed (Floyd) in eight minutes and 46 seconds,” Chappelle said.

Chappelle lashed out at the media response to Floyd’s death and the protests. He took issue with CNN’s Don Lemon, who called out the Hollywood elite for “sitting in your mansions and doing nothing” during violent protests last month.

“Listen to me, do you want to see a celebrity right now? No!” he said. “Why would anyone care what their favourite comedian thinks after they saw a police officer kneel on a man’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds?”

Chappelle also lashed out at

Fox News host Laura Ingraham and conservative media personality Candace Owens. He said Ingraham was a hypocrite for defending New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, after his recent comments criticising players for kneeling during the national anthem. This came years after Ingraham told NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant to “shut up and dribble” after they spoke out against president Donald Trump.

Chappelle went through the names of black men who suffered high-profile deaths in recent years: Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Philando Castile, and more.

When Chappelle returned to Floyd, he slammed Owens, who said she was sickened that the Minneapolis man was “held up as a martyr”, pointing to his criminal record and an autopsy report showing he had drugs in his system. Chappelle challenged Owens after she questioned why Floyd was being looked at as a hero for the black community.

“We didn’t choose him! You did,” he said. “They killed him and that wasn’t right, so he’s the guy. We’re not desperate for heroes in the black community. Anyone that survives this nightmare is my g ****** hero.”

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