Chappelle has had many of his famous friends out to Ohio for his top-secret 'Intimate Socially Distanced Affair' shows.
Dave Chappelle's latest top-secret COVID-era comedy show might have been his most legendary yet. The comedy icon has been recruiting his famous friends to join him for the recent slate of shows, and his most recent shows included special appearances from Chris Rock and Jim Carrey.
The events, which Chappelle calls "An Intimate Socially Distanced Affair," are held outdoors at the Wirrig Pavilion in the comedian's hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The 100 lucky guests are required to lock up their cellphones, so very little has leaked -- except for what Chappelle himself showcased in his surprise comedy special, 8:46.
However, last weekend's A-list featured guest, Chris Rock, shared a small glimpse at one of the events on his Instagram, sharing two photos from the show -- one of which included another special guest.
"So I went to Ohio and did a Covid tested show with Dave and Jim Carrey on FaceTime," Rock captioned the photos, which show him and Chappelle sharing a pandemic-appropriate handshake, and the pair onstage, with Carrey performing via FaceTime. "Crazy year indeed. Jim closed the show. It’s been a horrible year but this was definitely a bright spot."
On Wednesday, Chappelle was spotted around town with another comedy legend, David Letterman, fueling speculation the former late-night host might be an upcoming guest.
Chappelle dropped 8:46 as a surprise special on June 12, in which he addressed the death of George Floyd and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests across the country.
“People watched it, people filmed it, and for some reason that I still don't understand, all these f**king police had their hands in their pockets,” Chappelle said in the clip. “Who are you talking to? What are you signifying? That you can kneel on a man's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds and feel like you wouldn’t get the wrath of God?”
In the set, the comedian also spoke on racial inequality and the deaths of Eric Garner, Philando Castile and Trayvon Martin. He also addressed CNN anchor Don Lemon’s remarks about Black celebrities using their platform to speak up amid the violent protests.
“Do you want to see a celebrity right now?” Chappelle asked the audience. “No! This is the streets talking for themselves. They don't need me right now. I kept my mouth shut and I’ll still keep my mouth shut. But don't think that my silence is complicit.”
“Why would anyone care what their favorite comedian thinks after they saw a police officer kneel on a man's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds,” he added. “I can't get that number out of my head because it is the time of birth on my birth certificate.”
“I figured out why they want to hear from me. The only reason why people want to hear from people like me is because you trust me. I don't lie to you,” he said. “And every institution that we trust lies to us.”
“The streets will speak for themselves whether I’m alive or dead. I trust you guys. I love you guys and we’ll keep this space open,” he added.
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