David Khari Webber Chappelle
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Awards
Dave Chappelle began performing stand-up at age 14 in Washington D.C. nightclubs. He made his film debut at age 19 in Robin Hood: Men in Tights 1993. In 2003 he created the sketch comedy series Chappelle’s Show. He has won three Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Dave Chappelle — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Dave Chappelle by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Dave Chappelle — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Dave Chappelle began performing stand-up comedy at age 14 in Washington D.C. nightclubs. He was born on August 24, 1973 in Washington D.C. to Yvonne Seon, a professor and Unitarian Universalist minister, and William David Chappelle III, a music teacher at Antioch College. He grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Washington D.C. He attended Eastern High School and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where he studied theatre arts.
At age 19, Chappelle made his film debut in Robin Hood: Men in Tights 1993. He starred in the short-lived sitcom Buddies 1996 and had a featured role in The Nutty Professor 1996. The sketch comedy series Chappelle’s Show premiered in 2003 on Comedy Central and brought him widespread fame. The show was a critical and commercial success, leading to a $50 million deal with Viacom. Chappelle abruptly left the show in its third season. He returned to stand-up, performing over 500 shows in three years and selling out 10 shows at Radio City Music Hall in 2014. In 2017, he signed a deal with Netflix for three specials worth $20 million each. He has won three Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album and a Primetime Emmy for his guest appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2017. The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was awarded to him in 2019.
Chappelle is married to Elaine Mendoza Erfe, a Filipina. They have three children: sons Sulayman and Ibrahim, and daughter Sanaa. He lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his family. His mother Yvonne Seon is a professor and minister; his father William David Chappelle III taught music at Antioch College. He has a brother William and a sister Felicia.
Chappelle received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019, the highest comedy award in the United States. His Netflix specials drew wide acclaim, and Chappelle’s Show remains an influential show. Comedy Central ranked him #43 on their 100 Greatest Standups of All Time, the youngest person on the list. Many comedians cite him as an influence, and his work is studied for its social commentary.
The complete filmography of Dave Chappelle — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Dave Chappelle — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Dave Chappelle — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
I Still Think People Do Have Racial Hang-ups, but I Think One of the Reasons I Can Joke About It Is People Are Shedding Those Racial Hatreds.
If You’re Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, and Your Marriage Is Breaking up – That’s an Awful Thing. but to See That Speculation in People, It’s Gotta Sting a Little Bit.
I Look at It Like That Word, ‘Nigger’, 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.
You Can Become Famous but You Can’t Become Unfamous. You Can Become Infamous but Not Unfamous.
I Don’t Normally Talk About My Religion Publicly Because I Don’t Want People to Associate Me and My Flaws with This Beautiful Thing. and I Believe It Is Beautiful If You Learn It the Right Way.
I Want to Tell My Jokes. I Want to Have Time with My Children. I Want to Entertain People. and at One Point, I’ll Walk Away from Show Business. but I Don’t Want to Walk Away Empty-handed.
Gender Is a Fact. Every Human Being in This Room, Every Human Being on Earth, Had to Pass Through the Legs of a Woman to Be on Earth. This Is a Fact. It Doesn’t Change.
Little-known facts about Dave Chappelle — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
His maternal grandmother, Beatrice Murray, was born in Grenada, and was a real estate broker and civil rights activist. His other grandparents were all African-American. Dave’s paternal great-grandfather, William D. Chappelle William David Chappelle, was an educationalist, a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and President of Allen University. A paternal great-great-grandfather, Robert J. Palmer, was a land-owning merchant, who was a member of the South Carolina Legislature, then majority black, during Reconstruction.
His SNL hosting debut generated the highest ratings in three years.
Chappelle signed a deal to perform and produce and star in three specials for Netflix, each special worth $20 million.
His mother, Yvonne K. Reed Chappelle, has been a professor at Howard University, Wilberforce University, Central State University and University of Maryland. She is also a Unitarian Universalist minister.
Grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Washington, D.C., and still lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his wife and children.
Met Muhammad Ali when he was three years old. A photo of their meeting is in the Bettman Archive.
Is one of the few if not only celebrities to do advertisements for both Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Was best friends and frequent co-writers with Neal Brennan. Their partnership ended when Chappelle abruptly left Chappelle’s Show 2003 in its third season, though as of 2011 they have since patched things up with each other personally.
#43 on Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Standups of All Time. He is the youngest person to make the list.
Was in talks to play Rick James in a film about James’ life. Prior to James’ death, due to content objections by Rick James himself, it was decided the project would not happen. 2004
Named his production company Pilot Boy Productions in reference to the many failed pilots in which he starred.
He has two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and a daughter, Sanaa Chappelle.
Wife Elaine is a Filipina.
Sits in with Howard Stern when in New York. Chappelle is one of Stern’s favorite comedians.
Is currently in the beginning of talks about a movie involving his family and historical events they are fictionally involved in.
He has gone on Late Night with Conan O’Brien 1993 8 times so far, more appearances than he has had on all other talk shows combined.
In his guest appearance on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee it’s shown that he has donated his Primetime Emmy, won for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Saturday Night Live, to his former high school Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC.
Has won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019.
Due to the popularity of his show, Comedy Central’s parent company Viacom cut a $50 million deal with him that will continue the production of Chappelle’s Show 2003 for two more years and will allow him to do side projects.
His father, William David Chapelle III, taught music and voice at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Has continued to perform stand-up across the country, performing over 500 shows in the past three years.
Performed 10 sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall in 2014.
Living in Ohio after leaving for Africa on a spiritual retreat.
Is very good friends with fellow comedian Mario Cantone, who appears in the Ask A Gay Dude segment on Chappelle’s Show 2003.
Made the Forbes Celebrity 100 List with $12 million in earnings.
Has a brother, William, and a sister, Felicia.
Turned down an offer to host the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards.
Was considered by Kevin Smith to play Fletch in his aborted Fletch Won reboot. But Miramax refused him.
Was considered by Darren Aronofsky for the role of Tyrone in Requiem for a Dream 2000, which ended up going to Marlon Wayans.
Appeared on Inside the Actors Studio on 12th February 2006.
Often appears opposite a Saturday Night Live 1975 star: Screwed 2000 with Norm MacDonald, Half Baked 1998 with Jim Breuer, and Undercover Brother 2002 with Chris Kattan.
His surname is pronounced Shuh-pel.
Currently has his own show titled Chappelle’s Show 2003 on Comedy Central.
Chappelle attended Eastern High School for a short period before finishing his remaining high school years at Duke Ellington School of The Arts.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Dave Chappelle.
Celebrities similar to Dave Chappelle — same craft, ranked by reach.
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