Dave Chappelle Doesn't Think Donald Sterling Should've Lost the Clippers

GQ's Man of the Year shares his thoughts on the former Los Angeles Clippers owner.

Over the summer, former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was ousted from his position as team owner following the release of tapes containing racist statements he made in the presence of his then-mistress V. Stiviano. 

Since the scandal broke in April, Sterling has been characterized by fans, players, NBA officials, and the media as a racist, and earned nationwide criticism for his remarks. When he was finally forced to hand the team over to new owner Steve Ballmer, there was a collective sigh of relief from all the involved parties. 

However, Dave Chappelle, recently named GQ's latest "Man of the Year", isn't completely convinced that Sterling should've been forced to sell the Clippers. In an interview with the magazine, Chappelle shares his thoughts on the matter (GQ's questions are in bold; Chappelle's answers are presented in plain text):


One thing that was super timely for your Radio City show was Donald Sterling.

Thank God! I would have been ten minutes short.


What'd you think of the aftermath?

Ultimately, I don't think he should have lost his team. I don't like the idea that someone could record a secret conversation and that a person could lose their assets from that, even though I think what he said was awful. When you think about the intimacy of a situation, like, can a man just chill with his mistress in peace?* I just don't like when things like that happen, because if they take shit away for things that people say that are objectionable, I may not have anything in a few years. Granted, I don't think I say shit like "Stop bringing white people to my game."

Chappelle certainly isn't the first person to say that Sterling's privacy was invaded when his comments were turned over to the public. The idea of losing our privacy is a scary thing, particularly in the 21st century, when the capabilities of various technologies threaten the sanctity of our personal lives every single day. 

However, it's also worth noting that this wasn't the first racist incident of Sterling's lifetime, as the longtime businessman was also charged with housing discrimination in 2003, and exhibited a number of other prejudices during his tenure as team owner. 

So, is Chappelle right to defend another man's freedom from public interference? Sure. But, in the case of Sterling, he'll have a harder time arguing that the NBA isn't better off without him. 

[via CSN Bay Area]

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