Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Dave Chappelle
How Dave Chappelle built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
David Chappelle is a highly acclaimed American stand-up comedian and actor, best known for co-creating and starring in the influential satirical sketch comedy series, Chappelle's Show. He gained widespread recognition for his sharp wit and social commentary but famously left the show during its third season. After a break, Chappelle returned to stand-up comedy, earning further accolades. He has been hailed as a comedic genius and ranked among the greatest stand-up comics of all time.
1915: Opening of People's Infirmary
Around 1915, W. D. Chappelle Jr., Dave Chappelle's grand-uncle, opened the People's Infirmary in Columbia, South Carolina, providing healthcare access to African Americans during segregation.
September 13, 1990: Appearance on America's Funniest People
On September 13, 1990, Dave Chappelle was featured in a montage of random people telling jokes in the first episode of ABC's America's Funniest People.
1992: Def Comedy Jam
In 1992, Dave Chappelle won critical and popular acclaim for his television appearance in Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam on HBO.
1993: Film and TV Appearances in Robin Hood and Buddies
In 1993, Dave Chappelle appeared in Robin Hood: Men in Tights and starred in the ABC comedy series Buddies.
1994: Supporting Role in Getting In
In 1994, Dave Chappelle played a supporting role in the Doug Liman film, Getting In.
1995: Guest Appearance on Home Improvement
In 1995, Dave Chappelle made a guest appearance on an episode of ABC's popular sitcom Home Improvement, which led to the development of Buddies.
March 1996: Buddies Premieres and is Canceled
In March 1996, Buddies premiered on ABC to disappointing ratings, and the show was canceled after only five episodes.
1996: Appearance in The Nutty Professor
In 1996, Dave Chappelle appeared in the comedy The Nutty Professor starring Eddie Murphy.
1997: Role in Con Air
In 1997, Dave Chappelle had a minor role in the film Con Air.
1997: Parody of Forrest Gump
In 1997, Dave Chappelle parodied the film Forrest Gump in the short Bowl of Pork, after turning down a role in Forrest Gump
December 1998: Appearance in You've Got Mail
In December 1998, Dave Chappelle appeared in the film You've Got Mail.
1998: HBO Comedy Half-Hour and The Larry Sanders Show
In 1998, Dave Chappelle did a stand-up performance for HBO Comedy Half-Hour and appeared in an episode of The Larry Sanders Show.
1999: Blue Streak
In 1999, Dave Chappelle appeared in the Martin Lawrence film Blue Streak.
2000: Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly
In 2000, Dave Chappelle recorded his first hour-long HBO special, Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly, in Washington, D.C.
2002: Appearance in Undercover Brother
In 2002, Dave Chappelle appeared as 'Conspiracy Brother' in the racial satire Undercover Brother.
2003: Chappelle's Show Debut
In 2003, Dave Chappelle debuted his own weekly sketch comedy show on Comedy Central called Chappelle's Show.
June 2004: Rick James Biopic Talks
In June 2004, based on the popularity of the 'Rick James' sketch, it was announced that Dave Chappelle was in talks to portray James in a biopic, but talks halted due to disagreements.
September 18, 2004: Dave Chappelle's Block Party Concert
On September 18, 2004, Dave Chappelle hosted a free concert in Brooklyn, which was chronicled in the documentary Dave Chappelle's Block Party.
2004: Donation to Seeds of Peace International Camp
In 2004, Dave Chappelle donated his time to Seeds of Peace International Camp, located in Otisfield, Maine, which brings together young leaders from communities in conflict.
May 31, 2005: Scheduled Airing of Chappelle's Show Season 3
Season 3 of Chappelle's Show was scheduled to begin airing on May 31, 2005, but Chappelle left during production.
June 2005: Impromptu Stand-up Shows
In June 2005, Dave Chappelle performed impromptu stand-up shows in Los Angeles and began a tour in Newport, Kentucky.
February 3, 2006: Oprah Winfrey Interview
On February 3, 2006, Dave Chappelle stated in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that burnout and loss of creative control were reasons for leaving Chappelle's Show.
March 3, 2006: Release of Dave Chappelle's Block Party
On March 3, 2006, Dave Chappelle's Block Party was released in the U.S.
March 2006: Block Party All-Stars Tour
In March 2006, Dave Chappelle toured several cities to promote the film Dave Chappelle's Block Party under the name 'Block Party All-Stars Featuring Dave Chappelle'.
May 11, 2006: Surprise Appearance at Towson University's Tigerfest
On May 11, 2006, Dave Chappelle made a prearranged, surprise appearance at Towson University's annual Tigerfest celebration.
July 9, 2006: Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes Aired
On July 9, 2006, Comedy Central aired the first episode of Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes.
April 2007: Stand-up Endurance Record
In April 2007, Dave Chappelle set a stand-up endurance record at the Laugh Factory Sunset Strip comedy club.
January 2008: Dane Cook Reclaims Stand-up Endurance Record
In January 2008, Dane Cook reclaimed the stand-up endurance record with a time of seven hours.
November 11, 2008: Appearance on Inside the Actors Studio
On November 11, 2008, Dave Chappelle appeared on Inside the Actors Studio and interviewed James Lipton.
February 2009: Four-Hour Set at Comic Strip Live
In February 2009, Dave Chappelle did a four-hour set at Comic Strip Live in New York.
November 19, 2009: Laugh Factory Performance
On November 19, 2009, Dave Chappelle performed at the Laugh Factory, speculated to reclaim the stand-up record, but was disqualified.
2010: Publication of "American Stand-Up and Sketch Comedy"
In 2010, a book by Elizabeth Ludwig, "American Stand-Up and Sketch Comedy," was published, featuring the work of Dave Chappelle and Margaret Cho.
August 2011: Appearance at Comedy Jam
In August 2011, Dave Chappelle appeared at Comedy Jam in San Francisco.
2013: Appearance on Inside the Actors Studio
In 2013, Dave Chappelle appeared again on Inside the Actors Studio for its 250th episode.
June 2014: Return to New York City Stage
In June 2014, Dave Chappelle performed for ten nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, marking his first major appearance in the city in eleven years. He promoted these shows with appearances on The Today Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Show with David Letterman.
2015: Role in Spike Lee's 'Chi-Raq'
In 2015, Dave Chappelle appeared in Spike Lee's film 'Chi-Raq,' which was his first film role in 13 years, marking a return to acting after focusing on stand-up comedy.
March 2016: Filming of "The Age of Spin"
In March 2016, "The Age of Spin" was filmed at the Hollywood Palladium.
November 12, 2016: Hosting Debut on 'Saturday Night Live'
On November 12, 2016, Dave Chappelle hosted 'Saturday Night Live' for the first time following the 2016 presidential election. His opening monologue addressed Donald Trump and the election, and he received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance.
November 21, 2016: Netflix Announces Three Chappelle Specials
On November 21, 2016, Netflix announced a deal to release three new Dave Chappelle stand-up comedy specials in 2017, paying Chappelle $20 million per special.
2016: Netflix Comedy Special Deal
In 2016, Dave Chappelle signed a $20-million-per-release comedy-special deal with Netflix and released six stand-up specials under the deal.
September 2017: Filming of 'Equanimity'
In September 2017, Dave Chappelle filmed his third Netflix special, 'Equanimity', at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C.
November 20, 2017: Filming of 'The Bird Revelation'
On November 20, 2017, Dave Chappelle filmed a fourth special, 'The Bird Revelation', at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
December 22, 2017: Netflix Announces Expansion of Deal
On December 22, 2017, Netflix announced the expansion of their deal with Dave Chappelle to include 'The Bird Revelation', which was released with 'Equanimity' on December 31.
2017: Release of Netflix Comedy Specials
In 2017, Dave Chappelle released multiple Netflix comedy specials, marking a significant comeback to stand-up comedy after a period of relative absence from the spotlight.
August 26, 2019: Release of 'Sticks & Stones' on Netflix
On August 26, 2019, Dave Chappelle's fifth Netflix special, 'Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones,' was released, which caused controversy and backlash due to jokes about abuse allegations and the LGBT community.
June 6, 2020: Private Filming of "8:46" in Yellow Springs
On June 6, 2020, Dave Chappelle's "8:46" special was filmed at a private event outdoors in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where the audience followed social distancing rules and wore masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 12, 2020: Release of '8:46' on Netflix Is a Joke
On June 12, 2020, Netflix released '8:46', a video of Dave Chappelle's stand-up, on the YouTube channel "Netflix Is a Joke", where he addresses George Floyd's murder and the subsequent protests.
June 2020: Launch of 'Chappelle Summer Camp'
In June 2020, Dave Chappelle launched the "Chappelle Summer Camp," hosting live performances at Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, featuring numerous comedians and musicians in a socially distanced environment.
October 4, 2020: End of 'Chappelle Summer Camp' Performances
On October 4, 2020, the "Chappelle Summer Camp" series of live performances at Wirrig Pavilion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, officially came to an end after local zoning officials granted a special variance allowing the performances to continue.
December 2020: Purchase of Fire Station for Comedy Club
In December 2020, Dave Chappelle's company, Iron Table Holdings, purchased a fire station near his Yellow Springs, Ohio, home with plans to convert it into a comedy club.
2020: Hosting SNL After the Presidential Election
In 2020, Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live after the United States presidential election, offering jokes and commentary on the election results and the political climate of the country.
June 2021: 'Live in Real Life' Premieres at Tribeca Film Festival
In June 2021, Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life, a documentary covering Chappelle's concerts in Yellow Springs during the COVID-19 pandemic, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.
October 5, 2021: Release of 'The Closer' on Netflix
On October 5, 2021, Dave Chappelle's sixth Netflix special, 'The Closer,' was released, sparking controversy due to jokes about gay and transgender people.
November 19, 2021: 'Live in Real Life' Theatrical Release
On November 19, 2021, 'Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life,' a documentary about Chappelle's concerts in Yellow Springs during the COVID-19 pandemic, had a limited theatrical release after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in June.
November 12, 2022: Third Time Hosting Saturday Night Live
On November 12, 2022, Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time, continuing his presence on the show.
December 31, 2023: Release of 'The Dreamer' on Netflix
On December 31, 2023, Netflix released Dave Chappelle's latest special, 'The Dreamer', which debuted at No. 5 on the chart with 2.2 million views.
January 2025: SNL Monologue Commentary on Recent Events
In January 2025, Dave Chappelle's SNL monologue included commentary on recent events, including the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, Jimmy Carter's death, and Donald Trump's reelection to the United States presidency.
January 18, 2025: Chappelle Hosts SNL for Fourth Time
On January 18, 2025, Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live in its first show of 2025, marking his fourth time hosting, where his monologue included commentary on recent events.
