Chappelle’s back.
In a week, comedian Dave Chappelle will release two hourlong standup specials on Netflix. They’ll be the first such specials he’s put into the world in a dozen years, though he’s been touring extensively since 2014. The trailer gives a peek at what to expect: Chappelle not shying away from the absurdities of the modern world, integrating anecdotes about watching ISIS beheadings on YouTube and meeting the now-up-for-parole O.J. Simpson, but also going back to certain staples.
“You know what kills more black people than anything? More than police and terrorism?” he asks his audience. “Salt.”
The two specials, which were self-financed and produced by Chappelle and then acquired from Netflix, were filmed in Austin at Austin City Limits and Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium. A third Chappelle comedy special made specifically for Netflix is also in the works, with Chappelle and director Stan Lathan.
Chappelle hosted the first post-election “Saturday Night Live” in November, delivering a blistering monologue and helping the show to its highest ratings in three years.
The Chappelle shows are one slice of the ever-expanding Netflix stand-up comedy pie. Recent high-profile deals for stand-up specials include ones made with Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Tracy Morgan, and Louis C.K.
