Coveting DVD's

This blog comes a little while after the controversy over blackface. Definitely a bit cringeworthy and depending on the humor of it and whether there's a meaning to it like in Always Sunny in one of their episodes. But the amount of outrage from both sides is a concerning thing. It's cancel culture and it only shows why digital is not always the big solution for your TV needs.

There were small shows, but there were big sitcoms that have removed episodes. Stuff like 30 Rock, Scrubs, Community, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The first two examples were under the suggestion of Tina Fey and Bill Lawrence respectively and approval from the studios that produced their shows. I understand the frustration, but it's also giving in to the new generation of kids who get offended so easily at everything that one mistake and they flip out like toddlers who don't get a candy bar once their mother finishes shopping. But you're also pissing off fans and maybe creators of shows.

In the midst of shows is ones that are stepping down from playing black characters. Mike Henry, who played Cleveland Brown on Family Guy, stepped down and now they have to figure out who will voice him. One that is lobbying is a TV actor, Wendell Pierce. There's a couple other shows where voice actors are stepping down. Maybe they are thinking of any criticism that could happen because of their easily offended people who will never live it down. By that logic, we shouldn't have Bart Simpson played by a woman. Nickelodeon should stop airing Rugrats on their classic blocks on Teennick because the male babies are voiced by females. These two examples, I'm exaggerating, but if we're going by what others could be offended by, who knows how far the cancel culture will go. Heck, go after Saturday Night Live's Eddie Murphy whiteface skit or the times in Chappelle's Show where Chappelle played a white newscaster. Those are funny skits, but some snowflake could get offended by it and cause it to be national news. Look at Jimmy Kimmel. He made an apology to the Utah Jazz because of a show he did where he played Jazz legend Karl Malone in blackface.

Now why DVD's? People want the real deal. And for some fans, they want everything. Every episode. That's why The Simpsons season 3 DVD set rose a little bit last year because of the removal of Stark Raving Dad, the Michael Jackson episode, from syndication and streaming. You can't erase DVD's. And it gives me great concern over what happens when physical media is phased out. That's why Amazon has Gone with the Wind in the top 10 for best selling movies and TV shows. They want the real deal and getting it via Blu-Ray and DVD's would shun some away from streaming. Warner Brothers also learned how vocal a community can be like in 2011 with their remaining Tiny Toon Adventure seasons. One episode was not going to be on because of a beer episode, but backlash led to them to re-inserting it back into the set. Score one for fans. I wouldn't underestimate what fans will do.Something like a 30 Rock will have its devout followers  and they will do whatever they can to watch the episodes that were removed. This applies to other shows as well.

We can't erase everything. Instead of outright removing it, we should have warnings. Warnings that tell us of when a particular product was made and the culture surrounding it. That was one thing about playing Mafia III. They told players that they made the game, which was set in the late 60s, the way the world looked at that point. They told you to expect a lot of offensive things. That being said, there's winning and losing battles in all this. There is no simple solution. Considering sensitivity, this is far from over. Roll with the punches, I guess.

Chappelle's Show at 15: Quintessential Sketches

WARNING: THERE IS OFFENSIVE WORDS IN REGARDS TO ONE SKETCH!

Back when Comedy Central was more than just South Park and Tosh.0, it had some brilliant shows. They struck gold with Reno 911! in the summer of 2003, but earlier that year, they also had Chappelle's Show. From comedian Dave Chappelle, it was a huge hit for the network and these two shows combined with South Park and The Daily Show, were big ratings in a two year span. Chappelle was often controversial, but very funny without feeling dated like South Park.

Of course, most will know of the comedian's leaving during production of the third season, his leaving to Africa, and not doing much in a ten year span. He has since opened up on it in this past year as he has done Netflix specials and getting back in the spotlight. Comedy Central is still keen on airing reruns of his show, so let's get to the sketches that are must watches. Just some very quick thoughts.

Popcopy: From the pilot episode, it's how not to do your job. From spreading peanut butter and chocolate on a toilet to talking personal stories in front of customers, it's a gut buster with the stuff that creators Chappelle and Neal Brennan came up with.

Clayton Bigsby: Also from the pilot, one of the show's most controversial sketches. A blind black white supremacist. Just that idea alone is humorous, but the lengths he goes to stop black people confuses and impresses the whites. Very funny.

Tyrone Biggums: The only recurring character to appear in both seasons, it's a crack addict who finds himself doing things like appearing on Fear Factor for money and telling middle school kids about drugs. Chappelle does the character so well in making him so strung and out of control, especially in their Red Bull parody skit.

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: This is brilliant. It's over the top stuff that shouldn't be a big deal, but is hilarious. I don't want to get too far into these three skits, but the one at the nightclub is a good one.

The Racial Draft: For a skit centered around all sorts of races, it is genius and funny. Imagine a sports league draft but with acquiring and trading certain people of race. Trust me, it may seem like poor taste, but it does it in a way that doesn't feel as offensive. It's something that may need a second watching. Still, it's a skit that is funny.

True Hollywood Stories: Two skits with the late Charlie Murphy talking about encounters with Rick James (who did guest star in this skit) and Prince, both portrayed by Chappelle. The amount of stuff Murphy goes through is a testament to both him and Donnell Rawlings' contributions as other characters on the show.

The Niggar Family: A white family with the name Niggar set in a 1950s setting. Think Leave it to Beaver, but with the offending word as a crutch for the jokes, especially as Chappelle enters the skit as the milk man. It's a genius skit that is a gut buster and will make you wonder what other skits could have happened if Chappelle didn't end the show abruptly.

The Wayne Brady Show: Brady has taken over the show, and Chappelle rides in his car. It's shock value done well. Most will know Brady mainly for Whose Line Is It Anyway? and his consistent improv. Choking a bitch and using a gun may not work on Whose Line, but it sure is funny here. Chappelle's emotions alone make it good. His guest star is just icing on the cake.

Dave Gets Revenge: Surely, Chappelle has characters that go bonkers. Himself however in this skit, his antics are amusing and get funnier with as he goes through the revenge of the people who wronged him. The last one at a comedy club is one that needs to be watched, especially for that ending.

Do you have your own favorite skits? Which ones here do you think are the funniest? Give your thoughts here in the comments. Until then, laugh your ass off at this show. One of Comedy Central's best, if not, best show.