Dave Chappelle: The Closer Trailer: Morgan Freeman Puts The Pressure On The Comedian
Chappelle is back, baby.
The comedian returns to Netflix with his latest stand-up special, "The Closer," which premiered on the streaming service on October 5. The Detroit-set special is sixth in the "Half Baked" star's comedy special filmography, all of which have been helmed and produced by television luminary Stan Lathan. Both Lathan and Chappelle scored Emmys for their past collaborations, including, "The Age Of Spin," "Deep In The Heart Of Texas," "Equanimity," "The Bird Revelation," and "Sticks & Stones."
As he did for "Sticks & Stones," actor Morgan Freeman filmed a promo video and took the opportunity to get on Dave Chappelle's nerves.
"This is Dave. He tells jokes for a living."
In the promo, the actor with the silky-smooth voice narrates Chappelle as the pair drive a truck along a rural route at sunset.
"Driving down these country roads is a lot like meditation. He's deep in thought, back in the trance. Five specials in as many years ... how do you close a body of work that profound? I couldn't imagine the enormity of the pressure. And then ... it looks as if he's about to say something. What could he possibly have left to say?"
The monologue is too much for the "Chappelle's Show" creator to bear. He pulls over and, in a sentence that my editor won't publish, tells Morgan Freeman, more or less, that his commentary isn't necessary. If nothing else, the video is singular for its utterance of such an unlikely phrase — telling Morgan Freeman to shut up — that it has to be some kind of Manchurian candidate trigger. The man is a national treasure.
As always, Dave Chappelle is unafraid to speak what others dare not utter, which has gotten him in hot water in the past. "I can't even say something is true without a punchline behind it," he said in a powerful SNL monologue last year. If his track record indicates anything, it's that "The Closer" is no different. In just the first ten minutes of the new special, Chappelle touches on coronavirus deaths, child molestation, and the wave of attacks on Asian-American citizens before leaning into the hesitant crowd reaction with a cheeky, "It's going to get way worse than that." With every setup ("I thought of an idea for a children's book..."), the audience rumbles in apprehension, as if anticipating a forbidden laugh that might escape their lips at any moment.
If nothing else, "The Closer" will have people talking for the rest of the year.
"The Closer" is currently streaming on Netflix.