Scene: it’s the early 2000s, and politically correct culture doesn’t yet exist. The internet is a wild west dependent on dial-up connections and small paper jazz cups dominate the world.
It was this era that spawned some of Comedy Central’s most iconic content ever, from Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” to Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s “South Park.”
While these shows have enjoyed a long and successful run, there was one show in particular that shined so bright it burnt itself out. Most college students probably don’t remember Dave Chappelle’s “Chapelle’s Show,” but it’s still one of the most influential comedy shows to date, and it forever changed sketch comedy.
“Chapelle’s Show,” which ran for two seasons (plus a few bonus episodes), starred Dave Chappelle as the host and lead actor for most of the sketches. After two successful seasons, Chappelle left a $50 million dollar deal from Comedy Central on the table, jetted off to Africa and never returned to the show.
Chappelle’s real reasons for leaving the hit show have long been a mystery, but he recently implied in an interview with David Letterman that at the time he was afraid he was reinforcing stereotypes among viewers instead of challenging them. While he said that was a contributing factor, along with a declining relationship with Comedy Central and long hours on set away from his family, the full answer may never be known to anyone but Dave Chapelle himself.
So why this review, and why now? On Nov. 1, Netflix released the “Chappelle’s Show” in its entirety. After 10 hours straight of binging the show, it’s clear that it really is the greatest sketch comedy in recent history.
However, Dave Chappelle has been consistently critical of ViacomCBS, the owner of the show, for refusing to pay him for his work after he violated their contract by leaving. A few weeks after the show premiered on Netflix, Dave Chappelle called Netflix and told them that he wasn’t happy that they were streaming the show on their platform.
After that call, Netflix made an almost unprecedented decision and pulled the show from their platform. The show is still available on CBS and HBO streaming platforms, although Chappelle has called on fans to boycott the networks until he is paid.
The Chapelle show’s influence on shows like “Key and Peele” is obvious, and while they’re very similar, there’s something about the early 2000s aesthetic and pure creativity of “Chappelle’s Show” that simply makes it better.
Sketches like “Racial Draft” and “WacArnold’s” and characters like “Tyrone Biggums” are still iconic years later.
In an age where algorithms, ad agencies and PR people decide what content looks like and what appeals to the widest audience, “Chappelle’s Show” delivers a refreshing blast from the past that can’t be matched by anything today. The creative honesty and originality shines through, giving a look inside of the brilliant comedic mind that is Dave Chappelle.
The language, subject matter and suggestive content would never make it past HR and onto mainstream cable today, and seeing it on Netflix was honestly shocking. “How did this fly on cable” passed my lips more than once, but it’s also part of what makes the show so great. It’s a rated R version of “Key & Peele,” but it truly fits the meaning of “often imitated, never duplicated.”
The show tackles issues like race and drug addiction in a genuine but absurd way, using satire exactly the way it was designed to be used. While it’s a shame that the show only had two seasons, it may have been a blessing in disguise, allowing it to go out while still on top and furthering the legend that is “Chappelle’s Show.”
