Dave Chappelle Slams Don Lemon After He Calls Out Hollywood: My Silence Isn’t Complicit! + Don Responds

Dave Chappelle, Don Lemon

Dave Chappelle Slams Don Lemon After He Calls Out Hollywood: My Silence Isn’t Complicit! + Don Responds

On Friday, June 12th, award-winning comedian Dave Chappelle released a surprise special on Netflix titled 8:46, a reference to the amount of time former officer Derek Chauvin pinned his knee on George Floyd’s neck, as well as the time that Dave Chappelle was born. During the special, Dave Chappelle spoke on the current racial climate of the United States, the death of Kobe Bryant, and addressed CNN news anchor Don Lemon’s comments. A few weeks ago Don Lemon called out Hollywood for being quiet during the protest. He stated:

“What about Hollywood? Strangely quiet…I see them on Twitter – ‘Oh I’m loving what Don is doing, I’m loving what this person is doing.’ They gotta do more than that; especially black celebrities and black leaders, and white celebrities and rich Hollywood and rich folks and wealthy people. Why aren’t they helping these young people? These young people are out there standing on a platform at the edge of an abyss by themselves. And what they’re doing – yes, I’m calling you out.”

“What about Hollywood? Strangely quiet,” says @donlemon. “Why aren’t they helping these young people? These young people are out there standing on a platform on the edge of an abyss by themselves.” https://t.co/1gRDHHL91h pic.twitter.com/Iu42mIV9L3

— CNN (@CNN) May 31, 2020

Dave Chappelle responded to Don Lemon’s criticism:

“… I’m watching Don Lemon, that hotbed of reality. He says, ‘Where are all these celebrities? Why aren’t you all talking’ Do you want to see a celebrity right now? Do we give a f— what Ja Rule thinks? Does it matter about celebrity? No! This is the streets talking for themselves. They don’t need me right now. I kept my mouth shut… but don’t think that my silence is complicit.”

Dave Chappelle continued:

 “Why would anyone care what their favorite comedian thinks after they saw a police officer kneel on a man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds?”

Friday morning Don Lemon appeared on CNN’s New Day to respond to Dave Chappelle, he states:

“What I will say is that I actually agree with Dave Chappelle. I agree that I think the establishment has been a bit behind and some of what we created, and I consider myself part of the establishment because I am over 40 years old, I think that the young  people who are out there in the streets don’t really care what we have to say,

Don Lemon continued:

“The irony is that his special is called ‘8:46,’ he’s talking about this issue, and I think it’s great. He’s using his platform to talk about this in the way that he can.”

What are your thoughts on Don Lemon’s response? Comment below and let us know.