Snoop Dogg now has a rival when marking the most memorable concert entrance in the UAE.
Thirteen years after the rapper walked on stage at Etihad Park clad in a white kandura and red chequered ghutra, American superstar comedian Dave Chappelle may have gone one better by entering his sold-out Abu Dhabi Comedy Week show at Etihad Arena on Thursday with a hooded falcon on his arm.
“This bird has never been on stage before,” he quipped before describing how the sport of falconry is an apt metaphor for where he is at professionally.
No longer does Chapelle, one of comedy's biggest stars with Emmy and Grammy awards to his name, want to go on the hunt simply to sustain himself. Instead, he wants a career trajectory similar to a falconer, one where he is in total command and can bow out at a time of his choosing.
Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, he notes, stymied that plan with its lucrative offer to headline the festival after his reportedly final Netflix special The Closer last year.
This is all in jest, it appears, as Chappelle's stand-up career shows no signs of slowing down. A new Netflix special is seemingly on the cards, with his arrival on stage trailed by the platform’s motto beaming on the screens with the title The Lunatic’s Manifesto.
“I'm telling you right now, I am rusty. But it will come good,” Chappelle warned ahead of a performance that was by no means the finished article, but a free-wheeling and casual set that took inspiration from the present and past.
From pointed observations about the Israel-Gaza war and the US elections and the history of the African-American civil rights movement to obscene ruminations on friends and family, Chappelle's set was wise and wacky and delivered by a master raconteur.
His refrains of not caring much about politics hides an astuteness allowing him to delve meaningfully into the kind of thorny issues shied away by some peers.
When it comes to the war in Gaza, Chappelle directly described it as a “genocide” to cheers from the audience, followed by the caveat that fighting anti-Semitism is just as important in the quest to halt the cycle of violence.
Chappelle is also clearly worried by the social fractures presently in the US ahead of the elections in November. He sees no winner between candidate Donald Trump and sitting President Joe Biden.
That said, as a comic fond of a sharp turn of phrase, Chappelle’s expressed admiration for Trump’s branding of Biden as “sleepy Joe,” before launching into a brilliant section on how politically devastating the moniker has become.
Chappelle often pivots between these macro issues to more intimate looks at life in his home town of Yellow Springs in Ohio. Where in 2017 special Equanimity & The Bird Revelation had him poking fun at the genteel nature of the environment, this time around he looks at how his burgeoning celebrity status is causing tension with his neighbours after he reportedly bought millions of dollars' worth of property in the town.
Yes, Chappelle confirms, he indeed did buy the town’s old fire station in an auction and converted it into a comedy club. As for the rest of his bulging portfolio, Chappelle plans to commit the town’s cardinal sin: “I am not going to cut the grass.”
Perhaps because of his magnetism on stage or endearing smile, the weaker sections of the show also flew by as smoothly. While the characterisation of ethnic communities and dissections of relationships are dated at best, it didn't take away from Chappelle’s sheer joy of being on stage.
As shown in his recent tribute to fellow comic Kevin Hart at The Kennedy Centre Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, Chappelle is an unabashed champion of the art form in all its diversity.
And his latest show is primarily a celebration of telling jokes, no matter how big and small. At times it can be dazzling with Chappelle’s ability to twist and turn a particular premise when recalling his experience travelling in a time machine, while at other times it as direct as the toilet humour unheard of since high school days.
All have a cherished place in his heart, as has Abu Dhabi after what was his maiden performance.
“The fact that you guys are doing this festival here is one of the most powerful things that is happening in the world,” he said at the end. “I was told before stepping on stage that this is the biggest comedy show the Middle East has ever seen. Mark my words, I will be back.”
Abu Dhabi Comedy Week continues at Etihad Arena until Sunday.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
More on Quran memorisation:
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
The five pillars of Islam
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
