“ I’d like to think most writers for outlets like Vice, Vox, and The Ringer (if not necessarily everyone who reflexively retweets them) can make the distinction.”

They can, but the prefer to be assholes about it. These are the younger brothers and sisters who critiqued Chris Rock’s shows 15 years ago, or Robin Williams’ post-Bush show. They’re just making noise for noise sake.

Forty-seven years ago, Carlin came out with AM/FM. On the AM side was his standard, for Carson-Cavett-Griffin monologue. On the FM side was, of course, the Carlin we know today, the hippy-dippy weatherman and the infamous Seven Dirty Words. But Chappelle is closer to Richard Pryor than anyone in the observations. That’s what comedy is, observations. Comics don’t tell jokes, they make observations and people who went to see Carlin, Pryor, Martin, Bruce, Williams, Rock, Murphy and even Cosby knew they weren’t going to see Jackie Mason or Henny Youngeman (or Uncle Miltie).