[psmith2.0]

Yes, you heard that right.

It was a great show, a full two hours (which everyone doesn't get, of course). In the interest of disclosure and all, I have to say that this man makes me laugh harder and louder than anyone else I can think of (even though I can do without any further "I'm Rick James, bitch!" routines from the local mallrats, thank you).

It was a recent taping because the death of Richard Pryor was brought up, and Chappelle seemed genuinely touched that Pryor's widow had made some statement that Richard felt he had passed the torch to Chappelle.

They played lots of clips from his standup routines, some movie clips and, of course, lots of clips from his Comedy Central show.

And he discussed his journey to Africa and how fame and industry meddling/expectations just really did a number on him. He came across more real, honest and grounded than anyone I've ever seen sit in that chair, that's for sure.

Bravo will often repeat this show a few times in the following week, so check their website to get replay info. It's definitely worth a viewing: he's funny as can be, BUT he makes some really serious, deep comments about fame, celebrity, family, friends, regrets, etc.

He commented several times about how funny he found it to be sitting with Lipton, on this "serious show" and talking about the movie "Half Baked"...



You could tell he got a huge kick out of that. And he had the audience completely in his hand - and in his corner - from the moment he walked out to greet Lipton.



The only downside, as usual, was Lipton himself. While he's always quite the suck-up, he was especially unctuous last night. And he seemed to want to go out of his way to "appear hip" to the befuddled-looking Chappelle, by using the world "honky" to describe himself and other whites (didn't that word go out sometime in the third season of the "The Jeffersons"?), twice gratuitous, lame usage of the "f" word for no good reason, trying to get Chappelle to dance (which I found a bit insulting, since - unlike Walken and a few other notable guests - Chappelle isn't really known for this particular artform...an awkward moment, at best, with Lipton trying to coax Chappelle into some moves by doing a few of his own ballet steps).



Lipton never seems to realize that the audience is indeed laughing at him, and not with him (as I'm sure he tells himself). Chappelle was very cool with it, but I'm sure he laughed his head off with friends afterward...



Anyway, try to catch this episode (and mute the Lipton segments for maximum enjoyment).

[Moogs]

Thanks for the notice... I will definitely look for the re-airing time.

[psmith2.0]

From Bravo's website (to save you guys from having to track it down). Repeats are:

Tonight (Monday, February 13) at 9:00pm
Thursday (February 16) at 8:00pm
Friday (February 17) at 6:00pm
Sunday (February 19) at 10:0am

So set your TiVo thing accordingly (or pop in a cassette if you're old school).



http://www.bravotv.com/Schedule/

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 From Bravo's website (to save you guys from having to track it down). Repeats are: Tonight (Monday, February 13) at 9:00pm Thursday (February 16) at 8:00pm Friday (February 17) at 6:00pm Sunday (February 19) at 10:0am So set your TiVo thing accordingly (or pop in a cassette if you're old school). http://www.bravotv.com/Schedule/

I actually may set my DVD recorder for tonight's re-airing. I didn't get to see it all last night, but I loved what I saw. Unfortunately, I was cleaning my apartment pretty heavily yesterday so I didn't get to catch much TV on my day off. I'll actually be at home during the re-airing, but I'd rather be able to watch it on a recording so I can skip the commercials (the breaks were grotesquely long and were most of the reason I stopped watching).

[psmith2.0]

I think I liked it so much because he just came across like a real, regular person so much. Even though he is funny, and can make you bend over laughing, he doesn't seem to always be on, unlike that idiot Robin Williams...who simply can't stop doing schtick to save his life and carry on a regular conversation. Talk about someone who can wear you out...



But I loved the subtle digs at Lipton and his show (he first came out and put some water on his cheeks to look like tears, because so many on this show seem to break down and boo-hoo). It was funny and the audience loved it. Lipton said "we don't fake tears on this show" or something lame, and Chappelle was like "awww, man...".



And he smokes all the way through, these long white cigarettes. He talks about how Lipton is making him nervous, so he pulls one out and has one in his hand the entire show. So he's all leaned back in his chair like "alright, ask it now, Lipton". I immediately flashed on that craps player character he did on his show, with the dangling cig and scowl...Leonard Washington.



But with his comments on fame, family, "what's important", etc. he seems to have his head screwed on pretty straight. If he can always hold on to that viewpoint and perspective, he may manage to stick around longer than many others (Belushi, Farley, Kinison, Pryor, etc.). I know Pryor didn't OD or die violently/tragically, but he probably should've been dead 3-4 times already, before his illness took him...



Seeing that side of someone like Chappelle makes you appreciate the funny stuff a bit more. At least that's what it does to me.

[thuh Freak]

while he's still funny, he came off as kind of thinking he's bigger than he is. or acting bigger than i think of him. he still seemed a little long in the tooth, or preachy.

[psmith2.0]

Ha...I thought the opposite: maybe realizing he's not as big, and that other stuff is more important and meaningful. Odd...two different takes from the same show. If he seemed "preachy" about anything, it was the maddening hamster wheel that is Show Business™, and what it does/can do to a person? A valid, legit target, IMO.

[SKMDC]

I really hate when show people and athletes complain about their lot in life.
I have ItAS on TiVo and haven't watched yet, but I'm sure his "story" hasn't changed since Oprah. He set off my bullshit detector on that one.
I think I agree with the Thuh Freak here, while he is funny, his body of work isn't good enough for all this attention and the publicity tour he's on to mend his image.
Just go back to your show and do some good work, if you don't like your job do something else.

[Maciej]

*Sigh* I won't be getting my cable back for the next week. Could it be possible for one of you good samaritans to DVR this show and possibly upload it? PM me if you could do this for me...

[psmith2.0]

I didn't know he was on Oprah.

It was quite a bit of money he walked away from, I heard.

I can see both sides to this (and any celebrity griping story).

We've got this insane celebrity culture now that really goes beyond anything normal or sensible.

If I'm "famous", I expect to get photographed at premieres, entering swanky galas, maybe out on the town at a hot club, etc.

But if I'm home with my kids, on my property and just being a private, regular person...having idiots paparazzi climbing a tree or buzzing my house in helicopters isn't the kind of thing I'd want. And it's sick that there's even a NEED for it. The people who buy those mags and watch those dish shows, get a life. Do you really need to know who George Clooney or some chick from "The O.C." is dating, beyond "they've made it known, so it's no mystery" and it's common knowledge (Lance and Sheryl, etc.). But to go digging through garbage, staking places out, paying bellboys and valets for "whereabout tips", using a 300x telephoto lens to shoot into someone's backyard or whatever...that's goofy.



Not sure what Chappelle's thing was, other than it all perhaps seeming to get "too big, too fast" and slowly slipping from his control, with silly input from all quarters.

On one hand, you sign a contract/make a deal and you honor it. But if said contract or deal isn't what you want to buy into, then don't make it.

I've yet - even with the Lipton thing last night - to hear 100% the reason(s) for his upheaval earlier this year. He mentioned some things, so maybe it was lots of little things all taken together.

I don't know. He's a funny guy, and I'd be pretty much inclined to let him do whatever he wanted.

Then again, maybe he doesn't have a super strong work ethic, and with all the fame, money and obligations came real pressure or a sense of having to work harder/longer? He might not be up for that? He seems quite laidback and not a very "go, go, go...get, get, get!!!" personality?

[SKMDC]

He should've negotiated "control of content" in his deal.

I think Chappelle has problems elsewhere, either in the chemical dependency area or the mental health area.

If you want to be a huge star and get privacy it's not hard, there are too many people who carry on privately to think otherwise. With a few exceptions I think most people who are tabloid fodder, secretly dig it, while publicly moaning about it.

Chappelle was never tabloid material until he went on Oprah. If he didn't like his life before he just piled on a whole new load of baggage.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, he talked about that last night...the "crazy" and "drug" stuff, strongly denying both.

Who knows.

Still a good show, because he was mostly funny throughout. And the clips that were played were quite funny.

He just might not have the stomach for all that goes with this. I don't think I would...

"Any chance at all I could just eat this cheeseburger and drink my soda in peace, and not be photographed doing so?"

[SKMDC]

He was always candid about his recreational drug usage in the past, and now he's like it doesn't exist, which is what set my alarms off.

[psmith2.0]

Oh yeah, the weed. Sure. He talked about that a good bit. Never brought up, nor was asked about, anything else.

It was funny...he had the general vibe/reflexes of some HEAVY pot-smoking buddies I know: a bit slow on the draw in general, be talking and take forever to complete a sentence, can't seem to get your words out, easily distracted/zoned, etc.

Annoying as can be, especially if, like my buddies, you aren't particularly funny...

This was mostly at the beginning of the interview, so it might've been nerves. He got looser and smoother as things rolled on (and had his cigs going).

But the first 15 minutes or so, I said to myself "he's high as a bat NOW!".

[thuh Freak]

i don't suspect him of drug use. (...i dont consider pot a "drug"...) i believe him when he said that being accused by a reputable paper of using crack is probably very very disturbing (i did notice, that he didn't explicitly say, from the last hour that i saw, that he didn't use; only that the mere accusation was insulting. i still trust him on it though). i can respect him wanting his privacy, and being disgusted and horrified by that kind of accusation. wanting less than mega-star fame is reasonable and understandable. i just dont like when he makes it out like he was, idk, super-huge. i thot of him as more of cult-huge, a fad that you hoped wouldn't fade. lets be honest; before his show, the only people who recognized him had maybe seen 1/2baked. in interviews leading up to his show's premiere, i had to explain to my college friends that he was the lead in `that pot movie` ("oh, that hilarious spanish guy, b" "well he was in it too, but not him the other guy" "oh! brewer from SNL?" "no, the black guy" "oh yea. he's kinda funny") the show is/was very popular. cult-popularity i thot, where people mimic for a few weeks and move on. "i'm rick james bitch"; like ali g (i can't even remember an ali-g quote to insert), or "all your base are belong to us."

i thought for sure his smokes were ... uh ... spliffs. he had this high feel to him. nttawwt.

[MacMan05]

I understand Chappelle walked awaw from $50 MILLION BIG ONES!!!!!!!!!
I'm watching tonight...