Sara Dahms Shares A Thanksgiving Things I’m Thankful For List

Published by Sara Dahms at November 25, 2021

This Thanksgiving is the 400th anniversary of the very first Thanksgiving that took place in Massachusetts back in 1621 and I feel like there’s something special about that. I recognize that our country is hurting and the hardships this pandemic have created are far from over, but at the same time I also have gratitude for the people, places and things that brought laughter, joy and adventure into my life and when I look back at the good times I’ve had, I can actually feel all of those positive feelings again and completely understand why Thanksgiving is such an important holiday. Here are a few of the reasons I have to be thankful this holiday season.

Ron Bennington’s Unmasked goes Live with Tim Dillon at The Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant

Having The Bennington Show with Ron and Gail Bennington to listen to throughout this pandemic is something I will be forever thankful for. As a father/daughter radio team, the dynamic of their relationship and completely organic chemistry is the solid foundation on which their show is built and that makes it incorruptible. Like all families, the Benningtons have their share of good times and bad, but they also have the unique ability to share their lives with an audience of fans who love them. This year brought the joy of the birth of Gail’s daughter Frankie and the heartbreak of the loss of our sweet Fez Whatley and for better or for worse, Ron, Gail, Chris, Vito and Earl gave us everything they had and allowed us to come along with them as they worked their way through it all and managed to keep us laughing, even through our tears… And I am always here for it! Their entire team is hilarious and if there were awards for music production on an internet radio broadcast, the Benningtons would win them all! The music videos they’re always putting out on The Bennington Show’s Instagram page are beyond fantastic and Chris Stanley is an absolute rock star! Bravo!!!

In addition to their daily show on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk channel, The Bennington Show also produces an interview series called Unmasked with Ron Bennington. Ron is equal parts broadcaster and comedian and a master of both disciplines. The man’s a genius and getting to watch him work is always an honor. I’m grateful to the magic of Zoom for allowing Unmasked to continue throughout the pandemic and for making it possible for comedy fans like myself to be in the audience for interviews with artists such as Billy Crystal, Jonathan Ames, and Ron and Clint Howard.

When Harry met Sally is a masterpiece and I’m obsessed with Billy Crystal, so watching Ron and Billy talk movies, comedy and baseball was everything to me. Hearing Jonathan Ames describe his writing process taught me the secret to getting my ideas out of my head and onto the page and even inspired me to write my first pilot. I’ve been a fan of the works of Ron and Clint Howard my entire life. Some of my earliest memories in are of watching the Music Man and then listening to the soundtrack on vinyl. “Gary Indiana” and “Till There Was You” were my jams! I loved hearing how the roots and values instilled in Ron and Clint by their parents stayed with them throughout a lifetime in show business and that they’re both still creating and going strong. These Zoom shows are always a welcomed reprise and pre-pandemic, Unmasked was something I’ve even traveled for, but there was no word on when or if Unmasked was going to return to the live stage..

Then, just a few weeks ago, the most exciting thing happened! Ron Bennington announced that he was coming out of quarantine to host a special edition of Unmasked with Tim Dillon, live and in front of an audience at The Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant during the New York Comedy Festival! I booked my trip and headed to New York. Unmasked with Tim Dillon was hilarious, insightful and full of laugh out loud moments. Who would’ve guessed that Tim decided to be a stand-up comedian during the time he spent as a juror on a murder, rape and torture case, or that he’s interested in making the kinds of comedies he grew up watching? I sincerely hope this happens because any movie Tim Dillon has a hand in creating is sure to be hilarious!

After the show, I was happy to be able to catch up with everyone. Seeing the Bennington crew live and in person was something I wasn’t sure would ever happen again and I am beyond thankful that it did. If you couldn’t make it to The Stand for the live recording of this Unmasked, do yourself a favor and go listen to the recording of it on the SiriusXM app and enjoy all that comedy gold on demand! Until next time, Peace.

With the Benningtons. Photo by Debra Kessler

Dave Chappelle Creates Culture… Live in Real Life

When the clubs closed and festivals were postponed I’m beyond thankful to all the comedians who kept us laughing on platforms such as YouTube, Patreon and Zoom, but for a comedy junkie like myself, 7 months is a ridiculous amount of time to go without physically seeing a show. Then, last spring I received word that Dave Chappelle was going to be performing at The Stand Comedy Club and Restaurant. Dave Chappelle is a pillar of comedy, I hold him in the highest esteem and I absolutely love The Stand. I was fully vaccinated and finally feeling ready to venture back into the world. The timing was perfect. There was no way I was going to miss this.

I arrived to The Stand and was immediately reacquainted with old friends and proceeded to have the greatest night of comedy in my entire life. There, in the intimate setting of the downstairs showroom, I saw Trevor Noah, Michelle Wolf, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle perform their craft while Mathieu Bitton floated about the room taking photographs of this unreal event. It was pure magic. Dave was building the hour that would eventually become The Closer. It was an unparalleled show followed by an after party. I laughed, I danced, I was inspired to write about it and I wanted more of Dave Chappelle and this palpable energy he was creating in the world of comedy.

Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock pop-up at The Stand. Photo by Cris Italia

Not long after this pop-up, Dave scheduled more of his “Dave Chappelle Summer Camp” shows in Yellow Springs, Ohio and I bought tickets to two of them. I had seen pictures of these outdoor events on social media and was looking forward to taking a road trip and experiencing what Dave had created for myself.

I got there and it was perfect. Dave found a pavilion in a field and turned it into his own personal safe haven for comedy, music and community. These events followed all social distance guidelines, but still allowed us to be together, under God’s roof, in the name of comedy, dancing and laughing through the wind and the rain. It was perfect; I’d go so far as to say it was poetic.

Dave Chappelle’s Summer Camp by Mathieu Bitton

The words of his story about his friend Daphne Dorman hit differently in the field than they seemed to hit a segment of the population once it was released on Netflix. When Dave told us his story about Daphne, his words were heavy, but his message was crystal clear. He had made a friend who helped him see a world outside his own and changed his life for the better. Why are we not looking at Dave’s jokes as a call for peace, understanding and compassion for the human experience? Instead, people are being set off by hot-button words that mean nothing except for the context in which they are being spoken and when it comes to the context in which Dave Chappelle uses words, just watch his film, Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life and you will have a better understanding of what he’s about.

I recently saw the movie, Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life and I loved it! This man eats, sleeps and breaths comedy but he does more than write and perform stand-up. Chappelle is also a pillar that holds things together, and when the structure needed support during the pandemic, Dave Chappelle was there, assembling a team, making phone calls, getting permits, calling in favors, sending planes and creating a brand-new scene for comedy in the middle of a field in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

This film does more than just show Dave the comedian. It also explores his upbringing and the activist sides of his soul that went into the creation of his special, 8:46. Dave is to his father that which Kanye is to Donda. Dave Chappelle’s father, Professor William Chappelle, taught vocal performance and a class called “Racism and Discrimination in America” at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio and was co-founder of the organization, H.U.M.A.N. which stands for “Help us Make a Nation.” After learning this from Dave’s movie, I thought about the word “HUMAN” that’s tattooed on his forearm and the words that Daphne spoke to him that night when she said, “I don’t need you to understand me, I just need you to believe that I’m having a ‘human’ experience.” I loved how those were the words that struck a chord and resonated with him. Dave’s father was a leader, an advocate and an artist, just like his son. Dave doesn’t just create comedy, he creates culture, just like his father… and that is what truly makes him the greatest of all time.

After we watched the movie, Dave Chappelle addressed the audience. He said that he has never turned down an invitation from anyone to speak about any issue and that he welcomes all transgender people to his shows and he misses their energy. Then, he brought out Method Man, Redman, DJ Trauma and turned that entire arena into a party and we danced our asses off! It was epic and although cancel culture may have caused him to lose a few invitations to film festivals, the Grammys have not lost sight of the greatness that is Dave Chappelle because he, poet Amir Sulaiman and producer, Mathieu Bitton just received a nomination in the category of best spoken word album for his special, 8:46! Congratulations to Team Chappelle and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Dichotomy of Donda

The Joe Rogan Experience with Kanye West changed my life. I was late to the party on both of these guys but boy am I glad I got there. I was instantly struck by Ye’s ideas and innovations and Joe’s ability to speak with him without judgment, ride the ride that is Ye and do him justice. After hearing this podcast I went on a deep dive of JRE episodes and Kanye West music and ended up falling in love with songs like “Selah” and “Follow God” off Jesus is King, “No Church in the Wild,” “Otis” and “Gotta Have it” on Watch the Throne and “Devil in a New Dress” on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. I was dancing on a cloud to the treasure trove of music I had just unearthed when out of the clear blue sky, Ye posted a clip of his song “No Child Left Behind” and teased at a release for his newest album Donda. He was right on time.

When Donda, was finally ready to be heard I was besides myself. I don’t remember the last time I was this excited for a musical event. I live-streamed his listening party in Atlanta and was blown away by the sheer art of it all. I danced, I cried, I was completely moved by the entire album. I recommend listening to Donda straight through and enjoying the ride Ye has laid out for us.

Donda is a modern day oratorio and an amalgamation of Spirit and street and I am here for it. The music tells the beautifully tragic story of love and loss, sinners and Saints, chaos and order, going through the dark to get to the light. “Let’s get right.” This listening party was too good. I was sad when it was over because Donda wasn’t out yet and all I wanted was to listen to those songs again. Jail was fire! I was so excited for “the return of the throne” but all I could do was wait patiently for Donda’s release and hope that Ye would bring his listening parties to more cities… and he did… and Chicago was one of them!!! Yayyy!!!

Donda listening party at Soldier Field Photo by Sara Dahms

When I arrived to the listening party in Chicago there was a small hill with a full scale house built on top of it in the middle of Soldier Field. I wondered if it was a replica of Ye’s childhood home in Chicago. There was a chain link fence and a lot of fog and smoke surrounding the perimeter which gave the set an ominous feeling. Ye and his court appeared and took the field dressed in black. Then, when Marilyn Manson showed up on Ye’s front porch, I realized that this was more than a performance, it was performance art and Ye was making a statement without saying a word. “Pray and strategize.” Genius.

Ye and Marilyn Manson at the Donda listening party in Chicago. Photo by Sara Dahms

What statement could Ye possibly be making? Let’s start with the scripture he had labeled on the jumbotron, Isaiah 41:10. It says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Maybe he’s saying not to give up or lose hope, God has your back so trust that He will get you through the hard times… Even if you’re the Antichrist Superstar himself, Marilyn Manson!” There’s something comforting in that message but Ye’s the only person who truly knows the meaning behind his lyrics and this elaborate production… but I sure would like to find out!

As Ye sang the sweet melodic lyrics, “I wanna go to the moon. Don’t leave so soon (don’t leave so soon) How could I get through? (How could I get through?) I wanna go to the moon” the choreography of cars and people rotating around the house in the middle of the field reminded me more and more of the quote by Hermès Trismegistus, “As above, so below” and the similarities between atoms and our galaxy. Everything in our galaxy rotates around the center of mass, a supermassive black hole at its center, which reminds me of the way electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom… and this is why I love art. It inspires and invokes all kinds of thoughts, feelings and interpretations and can even beget more art if you’re lucky.

“Moon” at the Donda listening party at Soldier Field Photo by Sara Dahms

Ye’s work with Donda is just beginning. He’s streaming his Sunday Service and on Halloween Ye, Justin Bieber, Marilyn Manson and his entire court shed their black clothes for white because “Even if you are not ready for the day, it cannot always be night.” And the day has come. The unthinkable’s done. Ye “squared the circle”. Ye and Drake have made a truce and agreed to perform a concert together for a “Free Larry Hoover Benefit” and who else but the man himself, Dave Chappelle, was there to help celebrate and usher in this new era for hip hop, collaboration and culture.

The Grammy Awards got it right again because Donda was just given the nomination for album of the year. Isn’t life beautiful when it comes full circle?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!