8 Things You Didn’t Know About Dave Chappelle

He is a comedian. Dave Chappelle enjoys making people mad. Throughout his career, he has reveled in telling jokes that offend or reveal painful realities, and his current Netflix special, The Closer, is no exception.

Dave Chappelle is everyone’s favorite comedian, with a hugely popular sketch comedy show and a stellar stand-up career. However, there are a few facts regarding Chappelle that you may not be aware of, some of which may surprise you.

8 Things You Didn’t Know About Dave Chappelle

1. Inspiration To Become A Comedian

ill Cosby may not have been the best personal idol, but his enormous success motivated Chapelle to seek a career in comedy. At the age of 14, Chapelle read a piece about Bill Cosby in a magazine and understood that being hilarious full-time was a realistic aim for a smart-mouthed black kid.

2. Fan Of Mohammad Ali – The Boxer

He met Muhammed Ali when he was a child – When Chappelle was two years old, his mother arranged for him to meet The Greatest. Chappelle was a fan of the great boxer even when he was a child. ^[1]

3. A Muslim

In 1998, Dave Chappelle converted to Islam. Chappelle, in fact, utilized his 2004 vacation to Africa as a spiritual retreat to better align himself with his religious principles. ^[2]

4. Studied Theatre

In high school, Chapelle studied theatre arts at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He began doing stand-up soon after enrolling.

5. He Still Performs Live

Despite the fact that Dave Chapelle hasn’t had a TV stand-up special in almost a decade, he still performs live. You haven’t seen much of him since his recent tour rigidly enforced a no-phone policy, in which attendees’ cell phones were locked away to prevent jokes from seeping onto the internet.

6. An Avid Gamer

Dave Chappelle is an avid gamer, as demonstrated by his Grand Theft Auto comedy, but did you know he also used to play World of Warcraft? Chapelle has mentioned the MMORPG multiple times in interviews, praising his nerdy “brothers and sisters” and mentioning a Rogue. ^[3]

7. Turned Down The Offer Of $50 Million

Dave Chappelle was given a $50 million deal for two more seasons of his program. Chappelle, on the other hand, simply walked away, traveling to South Africa amid unsubstantiated reports of drug usage and mental instability. ^[4]

8. He Went Disappeared For Two Weeks

The media tries to overstate how long Chappelle was gone, although he was only gone for two weeks. Chappelle also never officially quit the show, joking that he is simply running late for work.