Born David Khari Webber Chappelle on the 24th August 1973 in Washington D.C. USA, Dave is a stand-up comedian and actor, who came to prominence through his comedy sketch series “Chappelle’s Show”, aired on Comedy Central. Since then he has gone on to tour the USA and is currently promoting his Netflix special.
Dave is the youngest child of William Davide Chappelle III, a professor at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and Yvonne K Chappelle Seon, who worked as a professor at Howard University, while also taking a position at the University of Maryland. Of African-American heritage, his great-grandfather was William D. Chappelle, an American educationalist and bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
When it comes to his education, Dave was a pupil at Woodlin Elementary School, and it was around this time that he started showcasing his comedy skills. After discovering such comedians as Eddie Murphy, and Richard Pryor, Dave became fully focused on comedy. He studied theatre arts at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and soon after matriculating, he was off to New York City in pursuit of his career.
The Very First Public Appearance
He made his debut at the Apollo Theater during Amateur Night, and as with many others, was booed off stage. However, this only encouraged him to continue to pursue his dreams. He continued to work hard, and since then has become one of the most successful comedians.
Rise to Fame
In the mid- ‘90s, Dave attracted increasing attention for his work; being a flamboyant character helped him in a great way, but it wasn’t until the comedy film “The Nutty Professor” that he reached popularity. Appearing next to his role model, Eddie Murphy, following the success of the film, doors started opening for Dave, and before the ‘90s ended, he became a recognizable face. In 1998 he and Neal Brennan co-wrote the film “Half Baked”, now a classic, with Dave in the lead role and which became a box office hit, which also helped lift his net worth.
With the beginning of the new millennium, Dave started working with HBO, having his own special, but it was in 2003 that he reached stardom, when Comedy Central picked up “Chappelle’s Show”. Chappelle and his long-time collaborator Brennan created the show incorporating their sketch comedy skills. The show aired until 2006, but Dave left the show before its third season, since when Chappelle went on tour across the US, and also made several television appearances.
Extravagant Netlfix Deal for $60 Million
Thanks to his extreme popularity, Dave has come to terms with Netflix, signing a contract for three comedy specials, with a pay of $20 million for one special. So far, he has released two specials “Dave Chappelle: Equanimity”, and “Dave Chappelle: The Bird Revelation”, both in 2017.
Dave Chappelle Net Worth and Assets
Have you wondered how rich Dave Chappelle is? Well, thanks to his enormous success, Dave’s wealth is estimated at $42 million, as of early 2018. Aside from a considerable bank balance, Dave also owns a 65 acre estate near Yellow Springs, Ohio, and is the owner of a number of homes in Xenia, Ohio.
Is Dave a married man?
Since 2001, Dave has been married to Elaine Mendoza Efre, with whom he has three children – sons Ibrahim and Suleyman, and daughter Sanaa.
General Info
Full Name
Dave Chappelle
Net Worth
$10 million
Date Of Birth
August 24, 1973
Height
1.83 m
Profession
Screenwriter, Television producer, Comedian, Film producer, Actor, Artist
Education
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Elaine Chappelle
Children
Sonal Chappelle, Ibrahim Chappelle, Sulayman Chappelle
Parents
Yvonne Reed, William David Chappelle III
Siblings
Felicia Chappelle Jones, William S. Chappelle
Accomplishments
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing - Variety Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, Teen Choice Award for Choice Comedian, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety Or Music Progra...
Movies
Half Baked, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, The Nutty Professor, Undercover Brother, Blue Streak, Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly, Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Con Air, You've Got Mail, Screwed, 200 Cigarettes, Chi-Raq, Undercover Blues, The Real Blonde, I'm Rick...
TV Shows
Chappelle's Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Wanda at Large, Buddies, Inside the Actors Studio, Def Comedy Jam, Where's Elvis This Week?
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.
3
[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?
4
[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.
5
[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.
6
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.
7
You can become famous but you can't become unfamous. You can become infamous but not unfamous.
8
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.
9
"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).
10
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.
11
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.
Facts
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Fact
1
Appeared on Actor Studio on 12th February 2006 [February 2006]
2
Currently has his own show titled Chappelle's Show (2003) on Comedy Central. [January 2003]
3
Living in Ohio after leaving for Africa on a spiritual retreat. [December 2005]
4
His surname is pronounced "Shuh-pel".
5
Met Muhammad Ali when he was three years old. A photo of their meeting is in the Bettman Archive.
6
Has a brother, William, and a sister, Felicia.
7
Named his production company "Pilot Boy Productions" in reference to the many failed pilots in which he starred.
8
His maternal grandfather was a blind Caucasian who was raised to believe that he was African-American.
9
Was considered by Kevin Smith to play Fletch in his aborted "Fletch Won" reboot. But Miramax refused him.
10
He has two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and a daughter, Sonal.
11
His mother has been a professor at Howard University, Wilberforce University, Central State University and University of Maryland. She is also a Unitarian Universalist minister.
12
Wife Elaine is a Filipina.
13
Made the Forbes Celebrity 100 List with $12 million in earnings.
#43 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time. He is the youngest person to make the list.
16
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.
17
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.
18
Is very good friends with fellow comedian Mario Cantone, who appears in the "Ask A Gay Dude" segment on Chappelle's Show (2003).
19
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.
20
Is one of the few (if not only) celebrities to do advertisements for both Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
21
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.
22
His father taught music and voice at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
23
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)