Biography for
Dave Chappelle More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

24 August 1973, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Birth Name

David Khari Webber Chappelle

Height

6' (1.83 m)

Spouse

Elaine Mendoza Erfe

(2001 - present) 2 children

Trade Mark

His comedic point-of-view of pop culture.

Portrays famous black people with deadpan humor.

Trivia

Often appears opposite a "Saturday Night Live" (1975) star: Screwed (2000) (with Norm MacDonald), Half Baked (1998) (with Jim Breuer), and Undercover Brother (2002) (with Chris Kattan).

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 MTV Video Music Awards 2004 (2004) (TV).

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 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.

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

He has gone on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" 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.

His favorite show is MTV's "The Real World" (1992).

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

Wife Elaine is a Filipina.

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.

His oldest son is named Sulayman.

Likes to play video games, and even has a World Of Warcraft account.

Personal Quotes

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."

Salary

"Chappelle's Show" (2003)

$1,000,000 approx. for season 2

Where Are They Now

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

(December 2005) Living in Ohio after leaving for Africa on a "Spiritual Retreat".

(February 2006) Appeared on Actor Studio on 12th February 2006

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