Anyone who is still in mourning over the premature demise of Dave “Rick James, Bitch!” Chappelle’s hilarious show on Comedy Central might be wondering what happened to the lanky comic after his highly publicized meltdown and subsequent trip to Africa. Chappelle made a few bizarre appearances on Oprah and Inside the Actors Studio, then went into hiding. Now, Dave seems to be making a comeback, on his own terms, by doing some stand-up performances and appearing in a retrospective special for Inside the Actors Studio, spoofing its venerable host James Lipton.
We might not find out where the heck Dave Chappelle’s been for the past year, but maybe we’ll learn what he’d like to hear God tell him when he arrives at the pearly gates.
If heaven exists, that is.The at-times reclusive comedian is slated to help mark the 200th episode of Inside the Actors Studio by stepping into James Lipton’s pensive shoes and guiding the ever-so-spoofable host through reminiscences of the Bravo series’ 14 seasons.
But while we know what the subjects of the two-hour Nov. 10 special have been up to—luminaries such as Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Will Smith and Angelina Jolie—Chappelle was last notably heard from breaking his own stand-up record at Hollywood’s Laugh Factory on Dec. 2, 2007.
The former Chappelle’s Show frontman performed a six-hour, 12-minute set before again peacing out from the public arena.
I would love to see Dave come back to TV. I haven’t seen another sketch comedy show that even comes close to his since he left Comedy Central two years ago. For now, I am still clinging to my DVDs of the first two seasons, hoping that he’ll return. And I’ll be watching Inside the Actors Studio too. My favorite episode of that show was the one with the cast of The Simpsons – if you haven’t seen it, make a point of checking it out.
Dave Chappelle is shown eating at Fred Segal on 6/27/08. Credit: Fame
I wouldn’t consider either of his appearances on Oprah or Inside the Actor’s Studio bizarre. And if it’s so bizarre, why are you clinging to them, as you say?
I thought his appearance on Inside the Actor’s Studio was amazing. He is such a deep and insightful person. I’d love to smoke a bowl and chat with him about life and our existence.
Dave Chapelle may be coming back? YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY.
And could I say, YAY!
I think he’s brilliant and so talented – the Black White Supremacist sketch is one of my favourite pieces of tv of the last 10 years and is up there with Goodness Gracious Me’s “Going for an English” sketch. 😆
lol its not like he fell off the face of the earth. Didn’t he break some stand up records this past year, only to be foiled by Dane Cook twice?
I loved his show but I don’t necessarily want it to come back. He left because he was concerned he was getting too racist. And he was. White dudes were coming up to him and saying awful things that they thought were ok because they saw it on the show. And just because I’m white doesn’t mean I’m overly apologetic and think its ok for others to slam us all the time on the basis of our skin color. Screw it, I hope his show never comes back.
i used to live in dayton, ohio, right near the little hippie-town of yellow springs where dave lives. we were eating at a little restraunt there one day when in walks dave! i was excited but didnt want to bug him, because thats why he lives there, he gets privacy. i went outside to smoke a cig and he walked out and we actually chatted for a little bit. he was by himself, just picking up some carry out. he was super cool and laid back, and you can tell he doesnt like being in the public eye all the time.
that would be awesome if he came back, but i doubt the show would be like it was before. but ya, hes awesome.
It’s a shame he’s felt so tormented over the last few years (self inflicted or otherwise.) I hope he’s able to find some sort of peace with himself, because he is one of the funniest people on the PLANET and I’d HATE for him to go away forever. 🙁
Dave should come back now, his sense of humor is so needed. After all that’s happened politically, he could be bigger than ever…but I think that scares him too…!
Dave has always had an odd ball type of humor which I find hilarious. I didn’t think he was strange on Oprah or the Actors Studio. I frequent comedy shows I just hope I’m lucky enough to catch one of his surprise stand up appearances.
A victim of his own success. He took on too much responsibility and work for his Chappelle Show and it really wrecked him. He needs to parcel out more of the work this time.
Come back Dave. We miss your unique blend of humor.
Dave appeared with Maya Angelou in an episode of the series “Iconoclasts” on the Sundance Channel – that was quite wonderful.
He looks like his happy self here in his hometown where he lives like everyone else raising a family.
There are regular Chappelle sitings for the tourists, but the locals just say hello as he’s a friend.
He brought a great guest performer to the AACW Bluesfest – friend and harmonica player Fred Yonnet, and MC’ed a bit of the show for his hometown in September.
I’m sure when the work has meaning to him, he’ll be doing just that.
I hear his wife is preggers.
Dave spends a lot of time here in S.F.Bay Area (which he loves the Filmore/theatre District) and New York…Dave is “where” the hell he wants to be right now! He’s one of those ol’ school dudes that you have to leave him and let him age like fine wine….he’ll be back!
I think what Dave never realized is that we did get his point. His comedy was raw and truthful. We saw that these stereotypes did exist, and that it had to be changed. We saw the ignorance that still exists in the world, and his comedy forced us to identify racism still exist. I teach high school, and I use examples from Dave’s earlier shows to point out the reality of the world we live in. I miss watching him perform. I miss thinking “I know someone who acts just like that!” When he said that he left comedy because he didn’t think people understood his message, well that is the same as Comedy central trying to pimp him out to us. I enjoyed his stand-up. I have yet to find a comic that opens my eyes to the world AS IT IS, than he did.
Side note: I am white and my best friend, Sherry, is black. She and I were shopping one day and minding our own business. This white man walks by and says, “Oh, you must be on break.” Like a white woman and a black woman couldn’t shop together in the south,unless they were on break from cleaning condos or somehting. I looked at Sherry and said, “Now that was a Dave Chapelle moment!”
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