Dave Chappelle Talks About His TV Exit

[nickel]

Wed Apr 12, 10:41 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - Dave Chappelle says in a new interview that he had several reasons for walking away from his cult-fave "Chappelle's Show" — and a deal worth more than $50 million.

His decision to leave the Comedy Central series last May led fans and industry executives to question his motives, and his sanity.

But in a 10-page spread in the Esquire magazine arriving Saturday, he says he closed "Chappelle" for reasons cultural, professional and personal.

Culturally: "The bottom line was, white people own everything, and where can a black person go and be himself or say something that's familiar to him and not have to explain or apologize?"

Professionally: "I felt like I was really pressured to settle for something that I didn't necessarily feel like I wanted."

Personally: "The thing about show business is that, in a way, it forces dysfunctional relationships in people."

Chappelle tells the magazine that putting on "Chappelle's Show" was the best television experience he ever had. He plans to continue telling jokes and entertaining audiences, he says, so long as he can retain a degree of personal and creative freedom.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060413/ap_en_tv/people_chappelle;_ylt=AjvY79arHzdOnZHDGg4fhd.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3YXYwNDRrBHNlYwM3NjI-


Culturally: "The bottom line was, white people own everything, and where can a black person go and be himself or say something that's familiar to him and not have to explain or apologize?"

i never thought he felt the need to explain or apologize to anyone. :shrug:

[gwilks98]

I don't know...the fact that a good portion of his material was making fun of white folks got pretty old. I'm alright with having fun, but do it like Mencia does it and make fun of everyone in even proportions.

[MJordanash]

I don't know...the fact that a good portion of his material was making fun of white folks got pretty old. I'm alright with having fun, but do it like Mencia does it and make fun of everyone in even proportions.
:agree: The white thing was funny, but every now and then it would have been nice to hear something slightly different.

[zero2dash]

You know, I had a lot of respect for Dave Chappelle (even after leaving) before he started coming out with all these excuses and rants and even going on Oprah and saying "I'll work it out and come back" which was quickly proven to be a lie 'cause he's still out there doing this crap. He acts like he's been forced to do all these things which is ironic because...isn't it he who has the company with the slogan and the soundclip "I'm riiiiiich, byeeeatch!" Hey Dave - no one's fooled - Comedy Central didn't have to do too much to get you to take that money (and gloat about it), did they? :shrug:

I have no respect for him anymore and at this point I don't care if his show comes back or not. I say Comedy Central should give Charlie Murphy a show and let him take the Chappelle timeslot and they'd get a lot of their ratings back. (Murphy was hilarious on Wild 'n Out a few weeks ago.)

Sorry - the dude went nuts. Fame got to him, period.
He was on the show 2 years without one odd behavior or press conference/news report, and then he basically goes out of control, disappears, and is throwing up all these smokescreens. Maybe he joined the "Hollywood Scientology experts" church founded by Tom Cruise. :shifty: :nuts:

[cheapie]

naw...i don't think he went crazy. and he cracked on black folks as well. but i don't really understand that comment.

[LPMiller]

I have a real hard time with the comment, considering he has more money than this particular white guy will ever, ever see.

[redcolours]

I have a real hard time with the comment, considering he has more money than this particular white guy will ever, ever see.
youre white???:wow::gle: :faint:

:D

[ialsohaveadream]

I don't know...the fact that a good portion of his material was making fun of white folks got pretty old. I'm alright with having fun, but do it like Mencia does it and make fun of everyone in even proportions.
Chapelle made fun of black people all the time. He made fun of race in general.

Remember the sketch where he talked about reparations, and the richest black guy in the world had gotten his money from a game of dice? So wrong, so funny.

[DarkFury]

Chapelle made fun of black people all the time. He made fun of race in general.

Remember the sketch where he talked about reparations, and the richest black guy in the world had gotten his money from a game of dice? So wrong, so funny.
Yeah.. kinda funny that some folks only see the jabs that are pointed at them and not the other ones pointed elsewhere.

:heh:

[gwilks98]

Chapelle does really cut black people down the way he cuts white people down. Notice how the white guy is always lame in Dave's sketches?
And DF, I can acknowledge when a comedian makes fun of other races. Like I said in my first thread, Mencia has no problems cutting down everyone in fairer proportions.

[DarkFury]

Chapelle does really cut black people down the way he cuts white people down. Notice how the white guy is always lame in Dave's sketches?
And DF, I can acknowledge when a comedian makes fun of other races. Like I said in my first thread, Mencia has no problems cutting down everyone in fairer proportions.
Did I point a finger at you? Must've struck a nerve to get my name put into your reply.

Who's to say what's "fair" in comedy? Funny is funny... and "lame white guys" are obviously funny (depending on what your definition of a "lame white guys" is. :shrug: ) versus "non lame white guys". :heh:

[gwilks98]

Did I point a finger at you? Must've struck a nerve to get my name put into your reply.

Who's to say what's "fair" in comedy? Funny is funny... and "lame white guys" are obviously funny (depending on what your definition of a "lame white guys" is. :shrug: ) versus "non lame white guys". :heh:

No nerves were hit. I'm just defending my statement. "Some people" means me right?

Fair? This certainly isn't "fair:"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/19/60II/main650149.shtml



"A lot of people, both black and white, feel uncomfortable with what they call your overuse of the 'N' word," Simon tells Chappelle. "What do you say about that?"

"To each his own," says Chappelle. "I look at it like that word, 'n-----', used to be a word of oppression. But that when I say it, it feels more like an act of freedom. For me to be able to say that unapologetically on television."

But how would he react if a white comedian used the "N" word?

"I'd be furious," says Chappelle. "That word, if you could sum up the story of America in a word, that might be the word that I'd pick. It has connotations in it that society has never dealt with."


Don't get me wrong, I think Chapelle is hilarious. I'll be the first advocate that comedians should push the edge on racism. I just think that he can dish it out all day but can't take it. There's a difference between making fun and putting down and I don't think Dave ever made that distinction.

[DarkFury]

No nerves were hit. I'm just defending my statement. "Some people" means me right?
Nope.. "some people" means "some people". My comment was not targeted... however if you felt that it applied to you, then maybe it did.

It wasn't written with YOU specifically in mind, but if the truth hurts... say OUCH. :eye: :eek: :shrug:

[gwilks98]

Nope.. "some people" means "some people". My comment was not targeted... however if you felt that it applied to you, then maybe it did.

It wasn't written with YOU specifically in mind, but if the truth hurts... say OUCH. :eye: :eek: :shrug:

Sorry, I forgot to put my sarcasm tags on. I was trying to lighten the mood of the post.

Will this work?

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7172/bunnypancake4ey.jpg

[DarkFury]

Sorry, I forgot to put my sarcasm tags on. I was trying to lighten the mood of the post.

Will this work?

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7172/bunnypancake4ey.jpg
Honestly, you need those...

<Sarcasm tag on...>

Your previous post truly failed to show their "sarcastic nature"... Oh well, I guess we don't pay ya to come here to be "saracastic" right? :heh:

</Sarcasm tag off...> :D

/now THAT's sarcasm...

[Jane83]

seriously people need to stop being so serious all the time.

[DarkFury]

You know, I had a lot of respect for Dave Chappelle (even after leaving) before he started coming out with all these excuses and rants and even going on Oprah and saying "I'll work it out and come back" which was quickly proven to be a lie 'cause he's still out there doing this crap. He acts like he's been forced to do all these things which is ironic because...isn't it he who has the company with the slogan and the soundclip "I'm riiiiiich, byeeeatch!" Hey Dave - no one's fooled - Comedy Central didn't have to do too much to get you to take that money (and gloat about it), did they? :shrug:

I have no respect for him anymore and at this point I don't care if his show comes back or not. I say Comedy Central should give Charlie Murphy a show and let him take the Chappelle timeslot and they'd get a lot of their ratings back. (Murphy was hilarious on Wild 'n Out a few weeks ago.)

Sorry - the dude went nuts. Fame got to him, period.
He was on the show 2 years without one odd behavior or press conference/news report, and then he basically goes out of control, disappears, and is throwing up all these smokescreens. Maybe he joined the "Hollywood Scientology experts" church founded by Tom Cruise. :shifty: :nuts:

As an update... Dave never took "the money"... he left it on the table. And now his wife is all upset that he did. Visit this link for more details...

http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=223064&GT1=7703


I guess all of your upset words about Dave taking the money and running were for naught... he ran.. but he didn't take the money. And the money he earned prior to that... HE EARNED... and probably didn't even earn enough of it then since his 1st season DVD is still the #1 selling DVD of all time.

Guess you probably owe Dave an apology. :heh: Cause he RIIIYATCH BEEEYATCH!!!! But coulda been richer if he had gone through with Season 3. :kaching:

[Airencracken]

Fair? This certainly isn't "fair:"

Don't get me wrong, I think Chapelle is hilarious. I'll be the first advocate that comedians should push the edge on racism. I just think that he can dish it out all day but can't take it. There's a difference between making fun and putting down and I don't think Dave ever made that distinction.

:stupid: either it's okay or it's not.