Dave Chappelle isn’t a name we’ve heard much of lately–since he abruptly quit his hit show for Comedy Central, his public appearances have been sporadic at best. But over the past few years, he’s slowly been returning to the world of standup comedy, and this weekend, we learned that the next city to be graced by one of his rare and highly sought after performances is none other than RVA!
Dave Chappelle isn’t a name we’ve heard much of lately–since he abruptly quit his hit show for Comedy Central, his public appearances have been sporadic at best. But over the past few years, he’s slowly been returning to the world of standup comedy, and this weekend, we learned that the next city to be graced by one of his rare and highly sought after performances is none other than RVA! In less than a week, on Saturday, June 15, Chappelle will be appearing at Richmond’s Carpenter Theatre for two full performances, one beginning at 7:30 PM and another at 10. Tickets are on sale now, and we’ll have all of the details about how you can order at the bottom of this article. But first, let’s count down all of the greatest moments of Chappelle’s comedy career thus far:
#1: Half-Baked
This stoner comedy, featuring Chappelle in his first starring role, was also co-written by Chappelle, who was not all that happy with the finished film. Appearing on Inside the Actor’s Studio in 2006, Chappelle said that the original script was much funnier, and that studio interference had turned the film into “a weed movie for kids.” That may be, but despite a relatively lackluster performance at the box office, Half Baked soon acquired a cult following–for many of us over the years, lines like “Fuck you, fuck you, you’re cool, fuck you, I’m out!” and “I wanna talk to Sampson!” have become running jokes. As an introduction to one of the best comedians of this generation, Half Baked worked quite well.
In this scene, one of the best from Half Baked, Chappelle plays both Thurgood Jenkins, a janitor-turned-drug-dealer who just might be in over his head, and Sir Smoke-A-Lot, a famous rapper with a notorious craving for weed. Chappelle’s ability to play his own straight man is used to excellent effect here.
#2: Killin’ Them Softly
Chappelle’s first standup special for HBO, Killin’ Them Softly, was filmed in Washington DC in 2000, and it might be the funniest full-length stand-up performance since Eddie Murphy’s Delirious. Covering topics like racism, relationships, and TV shows for kids, the entire show is hilarious. But the best part is the story Chappelle tells about a limousine driver taking him to a bad neighborhood in the middle of the night. If you’ve never heard it, you are missing out–and if you have heard it, you know it never gets old. So, everyone reading this, do yourself a favor and watch this excerpt from Killin’ Them Softly right now. But if you’re at work, you should probably listen through headphones. Don’t say we didn’t warn you:
#3: Chappelle’s Show
He was already one of the most talented comedians on the scene, but Chappelle’s Show was when Dave Chappelle really became a household name. This Comedy Central sketch series was huge in the ratings and was eventually turned into one of the highest-selling TV series DVD sets of all time. No subject matter was too controversial for the show, from its frequent unflinching comedic looks at racial issues to hilarious takes on current events, pop culture touchstones, and downright silly shit like the Player Hater’s Ball. But one particular sketch stands out above all the rest in terms of sheer hilarity, catch phrase potential, and sadly, its role in sowing the seeds of the show’s demise. That’s right, I’m talking about the Rick James episode.
Charlie Murphy, a regular member of the show’s cast, is the brother of Eddie Murphy, and having been on hand for the height of Eddie’s fame, had seen a lot of crazy things hanging around Hollywood in the 80s. Chappelle adapted the best of Charlie’s stories into episodes featuring dramatic reenactments. Murphy’s stories about Rick James and his out of control behavior were funny enough in themselves, but it was Chappelle’s portrayal of Rick James in the sketch, particularly his frequent repetition of the phrase “I’m Rick James, bitch!”, that really made the whole thing unforgettable. And even though the cries of “Rick James, bitch!” from audiences at his stand-up gigs had a lot to do with Chappelle’s eventual departure from the show and the derailing of his Hollywood career, none of that can tarnish the majesty of this amazing episode.
#4: Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
Considering how great the sketches on Chappelle’s Show often were, people often underrated the excellence of the musical guests that appeared at the end of each episode. From Slum Village in the middle of a roller rink to Mos Def rapping as Dave drove him around New York, there were some unforgettable performances during the show’s brief run. So when Chappelle and Michel Gondry collaborated on a feature-length documentary about a free concert Chappelle threw in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood back in 2004, it was no surprise that the music in the film was outstanding. At a time when fans were hungry to see more from the comedian who’d quit his wildly successful show a year earlier, Block Party was a bit frustrating due to the relatively small amount of screen time devoted to Chappelle himself. But the music, from The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Dead Prez, and many more, added up to an excellent concert film that hardly suffered from a minimum of Chappelle standup action. Best of all was the film’s climactic moment, during which a scheduled Lauryn Hill set turned into a surprise Fugees reunion that had the Brooklyn crowd ecstatic. Dave Chappelle’s barely in this video, but the fact that he made it happen is a career highlight for sure.
#5: Inside the Actor’s Studio
Dave Chappelle’s relationship with James Lipton has been responsible for most of his public appearances over the past half-decade. It’s been kind of a remarkable evolution, really–after a 2003 Chappelle’s Show sketch parodying the show, Chappelle somehow got an episode of the real Inside The Actor’s Studio devoted to him only three years later, in 2006. This was only the first of three appearances on Inside The Actor’s Studio over the past 7 years; his second came when he served as interviewer for the show’s 200th episode, which aired in 2008 profiled the career of usual host James Lipton. His most recent appearance on the 250th episode aired only a few weeks ago. All of these appearances are noteworthy, especially in light of Chappelle’s almost total absence from the media for most of the past decade. But it’s that first Inside The Actor’s Studio appearance in 2006 which continues to draw the attention of Chappelle’s many fans. As a fan of the show, Dave is clearly excited to be its subject, and rises to the occasion, filling this 80 minute interview with humor, intelligence, and insight. If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely worth taking the time to watch the entire thing.
Dave Chappelle begins to write the next chapter of what we all hope continues to be an outstanding career in comedy on Saturday, June 15 with two shows at the Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage, located at 600 E. Grace St. Tickets are $54 in advance, and can be ordered HERE. We expect both of these shows to sell out, so don’t hesitate–order now!
What are your favorite moments of Dave Chappelle’s career? Tell us what we left out in the comments!
