Is this racism, and what are we meant to be laughing at?

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Chappelle spoke about that sketch at some length on the Oprah Winfrey show. He said he decided to stop doing the sketch and that he would probably stop using the word altogether.
His reasoning was that when working on season three he noticed one of the white crew laughing at the sketch in a particular way that made him feel very uncomfortable. He explained it a lot better than I am.

No, you covered it pretty well. This was the sketch that gave Chapelle pause when he felt it wasn't getting laughs for the right reasons. Itz a funny riff on the unspoken racist undercurrent of American 1950's suburban sitcoms (he's doing an Eddie 'Rochester'Anderson impression throughout), but obviously can be misinterpreted (as it innocently has here) or give an illicit thrill to the wrong crowd. Conscience is a mo 'fo.

Wasn't it the sketch with the stereotype pixie that made him question what people are really laughing at? Or am I missing something and that is the sketch that is being talked about.

[Felatio Imperative]

saying that it's only offensive when it comes out of the mouth of a certain race is just ridiculous.

Do you know much history?

Ah yes, slavery. I'd completely overlooked that. Thanks for reminding me.