Why Dave Chappelle Won’t Be Joking About Rachel Dolezal

Dave Chappelle, the comedian famous in part for the “racial draft” skit in which celebrities are adopted by racial groups, said he will not be making jokes anytime soon about Rachel Dolezal.

Chappelle told the Washington Post there’s a lot of “emotional context” around the recent revelation by Dolezal’s parents that she is not black. Dolezal served as the president of the NAACP in Spokane, Washington, before her parents said she is in fact white. Dolezal announced her resignation Monday.

“There’s something that’s very nuanced where she’s highlighting the difference between personal feeling and what’s construct as far as racism is concerned,” Chappelle told the Post. “I don’t know what her agenda is, but there’s an emotional context for black people when they see her and white people when they see her. There’s a lot of feelings that are going to come out behind what’s happening with this lady.”

According to her parents, Dolezal increasingly identified as black as she grew older, and attended the historically black Howard College. She led the NAACP chapter in Spokane and is considered academic expert on African-American culture.

In Chappelle’s famous racial draft skit, Latinos bring on Elian Gonzalez “before the white people try to adopt him as one of their own.” The Post asked the comedian which race would bring on Dolezal.

“I think black,” Chappelle said. “We would take her all day, right?”

[Washington Post]