Dave Chappelle performs stand up at Mac Court
Comedian Dave Chappelle joked about issues ranging from vaginas to the Iran-Contra scandal during a politically charged stand-up performance at McArthur Court Thursday night.
Chappelle, who recently returned to the stand-up circuit after mysteriously leaving the third season of “Chappelle’s Show,” targeted President Bush’s policies on Hurricane Katrina recovery and the Iraq war using his signature style of profanity-laced jokes.
Impressed by the thunderous reception he received from an audience of about 6,000, Chappelle pledged to develop 30 minutes of new material and return to Eugene in six months.
He discussed his reluctance to return to Hollywood to act in movies but hinted that he has considered three new sketches that “make me want to go back” to television.
He made light of rumors surrounding his sudden absence.
“I’m going to have to ask you to stop the loud noises,” he said as he took the stage during a lengthy standing ovation, “because I don’t know if you’ve read in the papers, but I’m fuckin’ insane.”
Chappelle addressed racial issues throughout the night.
“This is my first time to Oregon,” Chappelle said, “and it’s good to see that 19 black people are here.”
He also made fun of Oregon’s recent drug problem as he described his flight to Eugene.
“I could just see all of Eugene,” he said. “Little steel mill there, wood cuttin’ place there and crystal meth labs all over.”
Chappelle smoked cigarettes on stage, joking repeatedly with police officers about marijuana use. Cannabis smoke wafted throughout portions of the darkened stadium.
He rejected frequent requests from the audience to perform characters from his Comedy Central show.
“If I ever go back to Comedy Central, I’m killing Tyrone Biggums on the first show,” he said.
– Parker Howell