US comic Dave Chappelle returned to Dubai with a fast moving set laced with observations both socially potent and off-colour.
Tuesday’s show should also cement the UAE as a legitimate touring spot in all of his future world tours.
The show was another success for Chappelle in terms of ticket sales. Just like his two dates at the Skydive Dubai's makeshift stage as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival in 2015, his return to the Emirate was another sell-out with up to 8,000 people packed in the Sheikh Rashid Hall to see a comic at the peak of his powers and fame.
With that comes a certain amount of industry clout which the 45-year-old has uncompromisingly flexed in various ways. One of which is that eye watering 60-million-dollar deal (Dh222.35m) he received from Netflix to exclusively stream a bunch of his specials.
The other was Chappelle’s concert request that all mobile phones to be placed in a lockable pouch before entering the venue (which can be opened via staff outside of the show).
The end result was a UAE concert rarity; not one flashing mobile phone screen punctured the darkness of the hall. The crowd sat in rapt attention as they witnessed a master at work.
Dressed in a purple jumpsuit emblazoned with his initials, his appeal lies being in a laid back host. The key is to make it all looks effortless.
Well tested material is presented as first time observations as Chappelle languidly guided us into the issues that both amuse and concern him. But behind that casual banter is a supreme technician; a confident comic knowing when to cut through the laughs with sharp observations and went to provide levity with some good old fashioned toilet humour.
From the rash of US school shootings to the #MeToo movement, Chappelle gleefully hopscotched his way through a series of hot button topics to land relatively unscathed.
Here are some takeaways from the performance:
America's problematic gun culture
It is out of control, Chappelle states, hence its "good to be in the Middle East where it's safe."
He delved into the topic through the prism of school shootings presently plaguing US society. To underscore the ridiculousness of suggestions by lawmakers that teachers should be armed in classrooms, Chappelle takes us through a group exercise: “Now close your eyes and just picture your English teacher,” he says. “Now, just picture two nine-millimeters in her hands.”
He also questions the logic of putting students through safety drills in preparedness of future incidents: “Aren’t we also training the shooter too?” he asks.
Poverty is a state of mind
One of the key themes of Chappelle’s work over the last two decades is poverty and its effects.
Where his earlier specials, such as 2000s Killin' Them Softly and 2004's For What It's Worth, had Chappelle exploring its detrimental effect on the African-American communities, this time around he looks at how the current opioid epidemic has affected mostly rural white communities across the US.
“It is sad because it reminds me of what the blacks went through, that crack epidemic in the 1980s” he says.
“It really gave me an insight into what white people felt when they saw us going through the scrounge of crack…because I don’t care neither.”
That said, Chappelle says he is empathetic to those under the poverty line. As someone who grew up in a similar environment in Washington D.C, Chappelle describes it as a searing experience that “informs the rest of your life”. He credits his father for teaching him to have hope among the dire living conditions.
In response to Chappelle’s childhood cry that he was sick of being poor, his late father — a former teacher — said: “Dave, you are not poor. Poor is a mentality that many people will never recover from. You are just broke. That’s a present financial circumstance.”
#MeToo Movement
Perhaps because he covered it already in his latest Netflix special Equanimity, Chappelle's musings on the present #MeToo Movement was kept short. Actually, one wondered if that was planned to be part of the set as Chappelle launched into it as a response to a female crowd member shouting out: "Sexism is everywhere."
Chappelle proceeded to address her as he detailed his thoughts on the movement, which he describes as important as it is problematic.
He was heartfelt in detailing how the movement continues to sideline the struggles faced by African-American women in US society. In response to the remarks made by US actress Bette Middler’s statement (although he didn’t mention her by name) that “Women, are the n-word of the world,” Chappelle quizzed whether she “ever heard about black woman?”
Ultimately, he says the movement can only achieve its aim if men are also enlisted to “stand alongside women” and join the fight. As a Muslim, Chappelle invoked the words of the Prophet Mohammed who preached the equality of men and women throughout his life.
Was the show too short?
With the performance clocking in at just over 50 minutes and tickets ranging from Dh300 to Dh1500, some of the disgruntled murmurs heard after the show are justified. But there is no denying that despite the brevity, all the show’s observations and jokes hit hard.
A Chappelle show is now akin to an experience at a Michelin-star restaurant, it is pricey and the portions small, but the flavours and overall execution are flawless.
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LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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