Overview (3)

Mini Bio (2)

Dave Chappelle's career started while he was in high school at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC where he studied theatre arts. At the age of 14, he began performing stand-up comedy in nightclubs. Shortly after graduation, he moved to New York City where he quickly established himself as a major young talent. At the age of 19, Chappelle made his film debut in Robin Hood - Helden in Strumpfhosen (1993). Chappelle then starred in the short-lived sitcom, Buddies (1996) and had a featured role in Der verrückte Professor (1996).

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Monecia Samuel

Dave Chappelle is an American comedian, actor, producer and writer. Dave Signed $20 Million deal with Netflix. He also won Emmy award in 2017 for his guest appearance on Saturday Night live. Dave won a grammy award in 2018 for his Netflix Series The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas. Chappelle is better known for his iconic and acclaimed satirical comedy sketch series Chappelle's Show (2003). Chappelle was called the "comic genius of America" by Esquire in 2006 and "the best" by a Billboard writer in 2013.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Arpit Paul

Spouse (1)

Elaine Mendoza Erfe (5 December 2004 - present) ( 3 children)

Trade Mark (3)

His comedic point-of-view of popular culture and drugs



Newsboy cap



Provocative, racially charged humor



Trivia (37)



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. [2004]





Turned down an offer to host the 2004 2004 MTV Video Music Awards (2004).



Was in talks to play Rick James in a film about James' life. Prior to James' death, due to some content objections by Rick James himself, it was decided the project would not happen. (2004)

His father, William David Chapelle III, taught music and voice at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.



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.



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.



Is very good friends with fellow comedian Mario Cantone , who appears in the "Ask A Gay Dude" segment on Chappelle's Show (2003).



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.



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.

#43 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time. He is the youngest person to make the list.



Made the Forbes Celebrity 100 List with $12 million in earnings.



Wife Elaine is a Filipina.



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.





He has two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and a daughter, Sanaa Chappelle



Was considered by Kevin Smith to play Fletch in his aborted "Fletch Won" reboot. But Miramax refused him.

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.



Named his production company "Pilot Boy Productions" in reference to the many failed pilots in which he starred.



Has a brother, William, and a sister, Felicia.





Met Muhammad Ali when he was three years old. A photo of their meeting is in the Bettman Archive.

His surname is pronounced "Shuh-pel".



Living in Ohio after leaving for Africa on a spiritual retreat. [December 2005]





Currently has his own show titled Chappelle's Show (2003) on Comedy Central. [January 2003]

Appeared on Actor Studio on 12th February 2006 [February 2006]



Stan Lathan will direct and also produce.



These three specials will be released simultaneously in 2017.



Two other never before seen specials are from his personal comedy vault.



These specials are the comedian's first concert specials in twelve years.



His SNL hosting debut generated the highest ratings in three years.



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.



These specials will filmed also at the Hollywood Palladium.



These specials will be filmed at Austin City Limits.



Chappelle signed a deal to perform and produce and star in three specials for Netflix, worth $20 million each special.



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.



Personal Quotes (13)

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 figured, let me just cut myself off from everybody, take a minute and pull a Flintstone, stop a speeding car by using my bare feet as brakes." - on his abrupt departure from Chappelle's Show (2003).

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.



[on living in Ohio] Turns out you don't need $50 million to live around these parts, just a nice smile and a kind way about you. You guys are the best neighbors ever... That's why I came back and that's why I'm staying.





[on Chappelle's Show (2003)] I have to say, it was by far the best experience I ever had working in television. When you hear me say, like, 'I quit' and all this stuff, I mean, that was literally just like the tension and the dramatic situation of creating something. And the network executives have their responsibilities and I have my responsibilities, so this is a natural tension of these relationships. By far, it was better than any situation I ever had in corporate television.



[on Chappelle's Show (2003)] It was like taking somebody on a tour through a young black man's subconscious, and I don't think America has been there. So in a way it was kind of like reality TV, right?

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.



[on turning down a $50 million contract from Comedy Central to make a fourth season of Chappelle's Show, jokingly about his spouse] Don't think you can turn down a 50 million contract and your wife is going to be cool with that.



[on media speculation on why he went to Africa] Who goes from America to Africa for medical treatment? It was the most irresponsible journalism I've ever seen.



[on Donald Trump]He's like a bad DJ at a good party



Salary (6)