Dave Chappelle Returns to Fame
Dave Chappelle recently blessed Nashville with three sold-out shows at the Ryman. He started off joking about the newspapers calling his current tour a “comeback” – while he “thought he was just taking care of some bills.” Some may have thought we’d never see Chappelle perform again, seeing how he turned his back on a blooming career in 2005, which peaked with his Comedy Central sketch comedy television series “Chappelle’s Show.” So no wonder rows of people lined up around the Ryman and all the way down the block anticipating the surprise show of a lifetime.
While the set did not seem particularly rehearsed or prepared, Chappelle did a good job of keeping the jokes coming and the audience laughing. He did not bring back any of his old characters, such as Rick James. Instead, many of his stories were inspired by his family life and having to adapt to being married with children, keeping the balance at home while getting to vent about it when on stage. Therefore, he told a lot of jokes about fights with his wife, raising his kids, sneaking out at night and frequenting a local dance club in Ohio, and temptations with a young woman.
Some may have called the show a disappointment, expecting a comeback of the old and more innocent Chappelle. However, as opposed to the performances in Knoxville, TN, where Chappelle was met by a rowdy and disrespectful crowd, Nashville still honored the artist with a standing ovation – upon entry and exit.
Maybe Chappelle did not revive his old characters, but he delivered a good dose of real life and how you learn to take it all with humor. After all, laughter can be found in every day life situations. Maybe his message was: Don’t take yourself too serious, and you might just come out on top – or in Chappelle’s case: come back out on top.
