Satire: Dave Chappelle's "Black Bush"

Justin Purvis
11/17/09

When we were asked to evaluate a satire I knew exactly what kind I wanted to do. Growing up me and my friends always have watched Chappelle’s show and thought it was hilarious. So I thought for my satire evaluation I’d look at Dave Chappelle’s skit called “Black Bush”.

Even though most of the skits on the show are highly comical, stereotypical, and even sometimes strait immoral there are some that have some political connection. The skit “Black Bush” shows Dave Chappelle and other members of the cast acting as they were President Bush and other members of the president’s party. Obviously there were some scenes from the skit that were irrelevant and just made fun of black and white stereotypes there were some that made some since in contributing to the satire.

The idea that the United States main goal of the war of Iraq was for oil was brought up a lot on the satire. Dave Chappelle’s acting as president Bush showed many times (in a comical way) that it was a hush truth that the real reason behind the war with Iraq lies in its oil benefits. This is acted out in a way where “Black Bush” really wanted oil for his country but just didn’t want people to know that was the reason why we were in Iraq.

Another comical idea used in the satire was the belief that Suddam Hussein was holding onto weapons of mass destruction. This if you watch the show you will find out is derived from some very unrealistic ideas; for example Chappelle references how Suddam has purchased aluminum tubes and “yellow cake” as means for housing nuclear bombs. Again these ideas are extreme but still if you understand the satire they have some justifiable meaning.

Next is my favorite political idea of the show. The “Black Bush” satire throughout the skits takes shots at the United Nations. They heckle the United Nations for means of being more less powerless and having little back up for their mistaken authority. For example in the show there is a scene in the show where the U.N. is trying to tell President Bush to withdrawal from Iraq when Bush then strait questions their power in a highly comedic way. The idea then is the U.N. doesn’t have an army therefore why should the United States have to listen to them? Now to look at this idea in a literal sense, what pull does the United Nations have? Do they have a standing army that’s able to enforce immediate authority?

Finally at the end of the satire there is a scene of President Bush having trouble answering questions being asked at a news conference. This scene makes the president look almost dumb to the point where he knows there are things he has no answers for. Is this not true in real life? Is there some questions that politicians just shy away from? Anyway the scene goes on and changes to the subject of gay marriage. This idea comes out to be that President Bush is highly against gay marriage and homosexuality in general. Now to think about it isn’t pro-same-sex marriage a moral fiber to the Republican Party? Maybe this satire shows this in a way that just blatantly comes out and says it.

Now to be honest this skit is an extreme situation satire much unlike the one we watched in class. But again if you deeply think about it this satire makes some comical meaning and connection to the political world. While this show also shows the stereotype of what a black president would act like it still shows multiple common flaws and confusions of the ruling party up to that point…..