In Dave Chappelle’s most recent Saturday Night Live skit, Potato Hole, the comedian plays a musician whose most recent album’s name alludes to the time when slavery was legal in the US.
On Saturday, November 12, Chappelle hosted the comedy sketch program for the third time in his career.
Following the midterm elections on Tuesday, Chappelle hosted the post-election episode. He commented on the most recent political developments and news stories that have been making headlines this fall, most notably Kanye West’s series of antisemitic and offensive remarks, which caused Adidas to fire Ye and remove Ye from social media.
Potato Hole Meaning: What Is A Potato Hole?
Willy T. Hawkins explains the title’s meaning succinctly after being questioned about it excessively. A potato hole is a hole that enslaved people would dig into concealing their food and belongings from plantation owners, the character adds.
Hawkins goes on to discuss the potato hole’s enduring influence. The potato hole was their final shred of humanity; over time, it came to represent black life’s tenacity in the face of white oppression, the author continues. Legendary blues singer Willie T. Hawkins (Chappelle) is the subject of a song about his potato hole. The vacuous (white) talk show hosts find this amusing. It’s all silly fun; even the weather girl and sports anchor join in on the puns.
Until Hawkins reveals the horrifying truth about the history of potato holes as slave food, they stand for oppression. While Dave Chappelle on SNL says that a potato hole was a hole used for valuables, there is another interpretation.
According to Arlington Magazine, individuals are also believed to have used potato holes. These areas served as hiding places for escaping slaves for several hours or days. According to legend, Harriet Tubman spent a week hiding from enslavers in a potato hole before running.
SNL’s PM in the afternoon skit: hosts miss the point!!
Willy T Hawkins performs with the hosts of the fictitious chat show PM in the Afternoon, Heidi Gardner and Andrew Dismukes (Dave Chappelle).
The hosts find Hawkins’ current album, Potato Hole, which he is promoting on the program, to be enduringly humorous. Until Hawkins clarifies what it means, that is. Before learning what a “potato hole” is, the hosts and reporters make several jokes about the title.
The SNL staff uses many ways to include “potato hole” into their talk show segments after incorrectly presuming the title is a sexual allusion. When criticizing political and racial topics, Dave Chappelle treads the edge of political correctness in his distinctive brand of comedy.
However, Chappelle turns this around on his SNL castmates in the Potato Hole comedy.
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