I would deduce this to come, at least partly, from his stage presence. Which speaks highly of his more formal education and is not entirely disconnected from his insane work ethic and the general rigor he places into his craft. All things we can see others who are a success, particularly in the world of entertainment as of late, have gone to great lengths to tell everyone. Dave is continually tearing down all the initial cultural perceptions which the majority of the general public have built-up around stand-up. Certainly in his last Netflix specials, Chappelle was as unconventional as has been seen. Short perhaps of Louis C.K.'s earlier efforts in self-production and self-promotion. Perhaps still, Dave is following this new trend or composite-comedy, where those such as Rogan (and his ilk) along with many others have used a combination of podcasting, Stand-up and speaking opportunities to have a far more entrenched presence in the lives of their audience. Though this seems to be the trend --however directed by each individual and the "channels" they subscribe to, Dave has certainly become a master of these changes quickly. It then also bears mentioning that Chappelle is filling these social and cult roles while simultaneously speaking about highly complex topics on the very edges of sociocultural understanding --and in some way extracting humor! As my ideas on these topics are far more shaky than at least the appearance given to Mr. Chappelle's, I will leave the interpretations on accuracy of his ideas up to the listener --but from an artistic standpoint, and in the consideration of the historical standard, Chappelle is a master of the mic.
Chappelle did a summer comedy tour with Jon Stewart (previously of the Daily Show w/...). Which was running through from mid June through the end of the month. If you were not able to catch any of the shows, you will have another chance to catch Chappelle and guest, tomorrow (9-18-2018) with Lauryn Hill & Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles California. Tickets run from $80 - $1,200, depending on seating. Though my budget does not currently allow for such extravagances, I am sure it will be a great time, particularly for those with garden seats. Not getting paid to drop that in here at the end, but genuinely shocked that there are even still seats available --as I am seeing some fairly high availability as of the writing. As I am tenuously making a top ten comedians list, a task which is much more difficult than I originally considered, so much so that I may be extending that number to something far more grand; but, in digging through sets: Chappelle's certainly standout. Through watching Dave's progression you start to feel as though you know him more, you can see his progression in a more "raw" sense --more so than most of the comedian's I tend toward. He is far less the "Black Comedian" and more the artist, who is surgically playing off peoples presuppositions, ego and cultural-bias --perhaps now more so now than before or at least in more intimate settings. But from where-ever the organic substance of his material originates and regardless of how his culture has influenced his opinions and his philosophical leanings, his material is remarkably intriguing --comically of course-- but what I think is special, what may make him the best comedian who has ever lived is his gift for innovation. Even his peers remark at this proclivity for creating and the rhetorical and proverbial depth of cultural insight present in his work, the MFDoom of comedy, if you will. While these elements are seemingly lost on most audiences (as with Doom), lets hope, for the sake of humanity, that people really do learn more when they laugh --if so, we are in good hands.
Related:
Chappelle Upcoming Dates:
Older Interview from 2017:
