“The experience of having that show, then not having that show, raising kids, and all the different things that happen in a person’s life — it humbles you. It opens the door for gratitude, and you appreciate things more because you fight for it.”

This year marks three decades since Chappelle first did a stand-up routine at a nightclub, as a 14-year-old. (Five years later he was being hailed as someone to watch.) “Yeah, I’m getting to that age where I start thinking of a legacy, not even that I’m that old, but I’ve just been doing it that long,” he says. “I was at Ali’s funeral and I saw Farrakhan there, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and I saw Bill Clinton. They all looked great, but I realized that these guys are getting old. And then I realized I’m getting old, and we’re all here because Muhammad Ali is dead!”

Humility means he’s not as concerned with audiences liking what he says. “A person could come to a show like mine, and they could disagree with me, and it wouldn’t ruin the show. They just wouldn’t agree with me,” he says. “People say I’m brave. Well, it’s like mutual brave, like we are all in this together,” he adds. “It’s a messy intersection of what you think about things, what you feel about things, and I think people find solace in informative art, because it reminds them that they’re now — oh! — thinking and feeling this way.”

Image ON THE COVER Dave Chappelle is featured in T’s April 23 Culture issue.

Chappelle’s shows attract die-hard Republicans and liberals, and each find plenty to laugh at. Perhaps because of this he is less despairing of America than some. “I mean as bad as things feel right now, I can see the common denominators on both sides, and it’s not as divided as people believe.”

If he’s sounding a little statesmanlike, maybe it’s because he has considered entering politics. “I’ve thought about it, but I don’t think I would do something like that unless I was confident that I could be effective,” he says. “Right now I feel like just using my voice, like anyone else in the community. But political aspirations as a comedian — I’ve said so much wild [expletive] in my life.”

I remind him that the current president has said some wild things, too. “Yeah, that guy. He really broke the ice, bro.” Chappelle breaks into one of his uncontrollable laughs.