David Chapelle took my phone tonight

trace cohen
Aug 23, 2017 · 2 min read

I was standing in line to see the Dave Chappelle and Solange show tonight and everyone was taking pics of the Radio City Hall sign before as the line progressed, and i thought how i should take a pic too to announce my ‘about to see the Dave Chapelle show’ but of course i didn’t cos i never do and felt kind’ve lame about it like i always do. And then as they checked our bags for water and guns, they packed our phones into a locked bag and I thought oh, this is new.

And of course the show was brilliant. And Solange was magnificent on her monochromatic stage, and her gorgeous performance and I noticed with relief how I felt like no stress that I wasn’t posting that perfectly lit stage with a circular backdrop and her looking incredible in her one-breasted Madonna-esque Gaultier-like bustier. And then David Chappelle spoke from his heart as he does, funny and real and with a depth that no-one else could possible pull off, both hysterical and so not funny as he is only able to do.

And the show went on for hours and the audience listened intently. People were present and it felt like it was life in the 80’s again. Or maybe the 40’s. I thought he had taken the phones likely to protect his IP, and so that his words aren’t taken out of context as they so often are — because when you’re mocking the Gays and the Blacks and the Asians and Indians and the Transgender community and Tiki Torch whites and Whites that eat broccolini and avocado oil, shit gets real.

But i loved not having a single pic to prove it, and not a video clip posted anywhere to even know what was said except for those of us who there tonight, lucky enough to BE AT the show, feeling special cos I was there, his thanking Trump at the end for his heinousness and the fact that none of us would give a damn about anything otherwise. For 3 hours people were present, and listening, and laughing, and crying cos you had to have been there. And I was. And so while the social media friends of all those Jennifer’s and Laticia’s and Pritha’s who posted that first “im about to see the #DavidChappelle show” outside in the line waited in anticipation (or didn’t) following their friends Radio City sign post pic, there was nothing but radio silence.

Thank you for that beautiful gift of an evening David Chappelle, for taking something ‘precious’ and giving back your words, your genius and most of all a moment to remembered, not captured.

And yeah, I have words (some) to describe it, so much so that it inspired me to use this Medium and write about it.

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