Dave Chappelle has been given plenty of opportunities to tell the American public why he walked out on the third season of Chappelle's Show and his $50 million contract. We've seen him on Oprah. He's talked to James Lipton for two full hours. He even had a chance to tell all in a lengthy article in Esquire. But in every case, he gave a different reason why he bolted, from Comedy Central imparting too much control on his show to feeling like he's out of place as a black comedian in a largely white entertainment world. He even cited a particular incident where he got freaked out by someone laughing a little too much at a skit he was filming right before he bolted.He wasn't any clearer about the matter last night on Late Night, either. Once Conan O'Brien broached the subject, Dave started what I'm sure is a prepared comedy routine about the topic, making jokes about how upset his wife still is over him walking away from the money, as well as jokes about how silly his problems seemed in comparison to those of people he encountered in Africa.
[Photo: Dana Edelson/NBC, via AP]
It was all very funny, but it really didn't tell me what actually happened that made Dave, a usually calm and rational man, bolt like that. I guess what I'm looking for are specific incidents or or arguments, things that Comedy Central actually tried to do to blunt the impact of Dave's show, that got him upset. Dave's alluded to an incident or two, but hasn't spelled anything out in detail. What was the "straw that broke the camel's back" incident that made him so angry that he flew halfway around the world without telling anyone, including his wife and kids? Or really was this not the fault of the "evil" CC executives and just a matter of the pressure getting to Dave?
Maybe I'm just being dense, but I still think Dave is being vague on this issue. And I'm thinking that's why he has refused to go on Howard Stern's show since he bolted, even though Howard was one of the guys that gave Dave needed exposure when he was just a stand-up and not "the comedic genius of our times." Howard would try to get Dave to name names and to give specific anecdotes instead of allowing him the room to do a stand-up routine like Conan did, which I'm sure Dave isn't nearly ready to do.
Hm. Maybe I've just hit on the subject of Bill Carter's next book. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, he can.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-11-2006 @ 8:00PM
Adam Chance said...
I wonder how he will feel when someone comes up doing it funnier and better.
Bet, he will regret leaving..
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5-11-2006 @ 8:22PM
Landon Howell said...
He's actually given the same explination in every interview. He says that when you get "that amount of money, people around you change. You don't know who you can and can't trust." He said that the money just wasn't worth it when you had to lead a life of paranoia.
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5-11-2006 @ 8:42PM
Batmanuel said...
seems to me that his insecurities got the best of him. He couldnt handle the pressue of delivering consistent quality.
its hard work to stay on top...we will learn more if/when Comedy Central plays the skits he did finish before bolting. My bet is that they werent up to season 1 or 2 standards and he knew it so he stopped.
It is worth noting that he has come out publically against Comedy Central airing the stuff they have in the can...makes you wonder why he doesnt want the public to see it
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5-11-2006 @ 9:54PM
RAB said...
This gives me a great idea for a new reality show. It opens with Dave Chappelle packing to leave on tour...but instead, he's knocked unconscious and wakes to find himself in a remote village with no way of leaving. Each week, a different talk show host takes his or her turn interrogating Chappelle, asking him "why did you leave your show?" (If you don't get the reference, you're very young and should look here.) The thing is, the message of The Prisoner was ultimately "it's nobody else's business" and I think the same holds true here. I've gotten the impression in all these interviews that Dave has deliberately omitted some specifics, perhaps because he doesn't want to seem like someone who's trying to settle scores or blame someone else for his decision. It may have been an accumulation of little things, and the "final straw" was something small that would sound trivial taken out of context. Or it may have been something major, but he's being classy and taking the high road. But either way, he doesn't owe the audience an explanation.
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5-11-2006 @ 9:56PM
RAB said...
Oops, the link for The Prisoner was this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner
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5-11-2006 @ 11:08PM
King Bob said...
he's obviously addicted to Crack Cocaine, that leads to incoherent babble and paranoia. he is, unfortunately, losing his mind due to brain damage caused by the drug. Sad, very sad.
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5-11-2006 @ 11:12PM
Al said...
RAB has it right in so many ways.
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5-12-2006 @ 1:27PM
jOHN said...
It's probably not surprising to say that celebrities, especially popular ones are faced with extremes. Sure, they lavish in huge parties and get paid ridiculously well, but the pressure they face alongside the demeaning things they may have to do is also to the extreme. Think of all the talk shows, press junkets, live appearances, and etc. to promote a movie/show that you know probably sucks. You get up to tell millions of people to see a movie/show you think (in your mind) sucks. You end up being a shill.
If we put his situation relative to our own, we'd see that we might have done the same thing.
If we started a job where we had the freedom to be in charge of how everything works and runs, and it became successful, we'd be challenged by outside forces to recreate that same success again. But now instead of the fun and satisfaction of your initial success, you get thrown more money and people are bossing you around telling you what you should do and how to do it. You've lost that freedom. You've lost control.
Don't forget the "yes men" and "hanger-ons" telling you can't do no wrong when all you want is a straight answer.
I think I'd go crazy too.
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5-12-2006 @ 5:28PM
Aonoymous Eric said...
I was interested in the Dave Chappelle story a few months ago when he appeared on Oprah. I did some Googling and could never get a satisfactory story about why he left the show. Most of his reasons sound petty, if you ask me.
I would be okay with Dave keeping his reasons to himself, but I think he owes his writing partner, Neal Brennan, an explanation, and from what I've read, Neal never got one.
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5-15-2006 @ 1:48PM
Bren said...
As a black man, and fellow comedian, I take offense to Dave's poor excuses for his Comedy Central show exodus. Blaming the 'white' entertainment industry is mediocre at best. Dave's show worked to bridge that gap. He was on to something with his depiction of race and blumpkins. What a shame.
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5-18-2006 @ 3:16PM
Jean said...
I think when comes to Daves reasons for leaving the Comedy Network is what it is.He decided to call it Quits,what is the Big Deal. We all decide the Course of Our lives. Why cant he. Dont get me wrong I loved his Show. But everybody that were connected with his show, made Money.There was a reason why the shows Title was the Dave Chappelle Show, he called the Shots!
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