75 Quotes by Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle, a comedic virtuoso, pushes the boundaries of societal norms and human perceptions with his stand-up performances. Unafraid to address controversial topics, Chappelle's comedic genius lies in his ability to provoke thought while delivering uproarious laughter.
His insightful commentary on race, politics, and cultural dynamics challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths with a grin. Chappelle's craft extends beyond mere punchlines; his masterful storytelling and raw, unfiltered delivery create an immersive experience that invites audiences to reflect on their own biases and preconceptions.
His comedic style serves as a bridge between discomfort and enlightenment, using laughter as a powerful tool to encourage conversations that may otherwise remain unspoken. In this manner, Dave Chappelle is more than a comedian; he is a provocateur of social discourse, using humor as a means of breaking down barriers and fostering a deeper understanding of the human condition.
Dave Chappelle Quotes
No matter how old you are, if a little kid hands you a toy phone... you answer it.
Things like racism are institutionalized. You might not know any bigots. You feel like "well I don't hate black people so I'm not a racist," but you benefit from racism. Just by the merit, the color of your skin. The opportunities that you have, you're privileged in ways that you might not even realize because you haven't been deprived of certain things. We need to talk about these things in order for them to change.
The hardest thing to do is to be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching.
What did the 5 fingers say to the face. S L A P!
I think extreme sports are really good for relieving stress.
You know, be able to do something great in your life, you're gonna have to realize your failures. You're gonna have to embrace them and figure out how to overcome it.
I support anyone's right to be who they want to be. My question is: to what extent do I have to participate in your self-image?
The mark of greatness is when everything before you is obsolete, and everything after you bears your mark.
Chivalry is dead. Women killed it.
The world can't tell you who you are. You've just got to figure out who you are and be there, for better or worse.
Every black American is bilingual. All of them. We speak street vernacular and we speak 'job interview.'
The worst thing to call somebody is crazy. It's dismissive. "I don't understand this person. So they're crazy." That's bullshit. These people are not crazy. They strong people. Maybe their environment is a little sick.
The only way you can know where the line is, is if you cross it.
You got to be careful of the company you keep.
Constantly take inventory of what's important to you.
The worst thing to call somebody is crazy. It's dismissive.
You know you must be doing something right if old people like you.
My father told me 'Name your price in the beginning. If it ever gets more expensive than the price you name, get out of there.'
Something about New York, man: You can do more comedy there probably than you can anywhere in the world. If you're interested in being funny, New York is the place to go.
I'm cool with failing so long as I know that there are people around me that love me unconditionally.
Most people don't know what it's like to stand up there and speak their mind. I have a venue to do that. I get paid to do that. It's not like I'm doing heavy lifting up there. It's not like I'm solving the world's problems. It's like I'm hanging out with a bunch of people and it's cool.
Remember what the Bible says: He who is without sin, cast the first rock. And I shall smoketh it.
Once you been performing on the streets you can conquer any venue.
I always take a relationship to the next level. If that works out, I take it to the next level after that, until I finally reach that level when it becomes absolutely necessary for me to leave.
You can't get unfamous. You can get infamous but you can't get unfamous.
Ralph Nader has slavery reparations on his platform, which makes me think he's not serious. If he thought he could win he wouldn't even say that.
You've got to say 'yes' to your destiny. Life's happening right now, look around you. There goes some life. Come on, Mamma, live!
They do what they do for money - that's all. I don't even know why you're listening to me. I've done commercials for both Coke and Pepsi. Truth is, I can't even taste the difference, but Pepsi paid me last, so there it is.
All white people talk about when they get high is other times that they got high.
When I'm on stage, I get real happy there. Maybe that's the only time in my adult life I feel like myself.
One of the things that happens when people make the leap from a certain amount of money to tens of millions of dollars is that the people around you dramatically change.
I think every group of black guys should have at least one white guy in it.
There's something about doing stand-up that's cathartic.
Comedians by and large are some of the most sensitive people on earth. Even if they're socially callous.
Money is the fuel for choices. Money gives me choices, so it's not nothing, it's something. But it's not the end all, be all. There are other things in my life that I did not purchase with money that are very valuable.
Listen, here it is: Technically, I never quit. I'm seven years late for work.
I'm famous today. People like me today. Might not like me tomorrow. You can't count on it.
There's a lot of people who don't want anything from me but to laugh and have a good time. You see them at the show and they like - they dress up to come see your show and stuff. And they pack these auditoriums and it's a lot of fun, man. It's like, this is how I started, and it's still fun for me.
You get sick of jokes, you know. Either I do them on TV, and then you worry, like, "Oh, everyone's gonna see it," so you chuck it, or you just get sick of saying it. After a while, a joke, if you say it too much, just becomes contrived, or fake-sounding.
I'm Dave Chappelle and I'm a chronic masturbator.
People don't know what it's like standing up there onstage, when you have a wall of people smiling at you.
Stand-up is the kind of gig that'll show you where you're at.
Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.
I've done 10 or 11 pilots for network television, which is ridiculous.
Where I'm from? A little town called none of yo god damn business.
My kids look actually happy. And I learned early on that perfectionism and parenthood is a toxic combination for everybody involved. In other words, so many things can flourish naturally. All you gotta do is make sure the soil's right. I view myself more like a guide than a ruler.
What that’s allowed me to do is have a vantage point about my own life that's accessible to people still. I could see a guy walking down the street and be like, Even though I'm famous, I got more in common with this guy than, like, Brad Pitt.
Who goes from America to Africa for medical attention?
If you don't have the right people around you and you're moving at a million miles an hour you can lose yourself.
I'm happier in the way a guy gets happier when he starts to mature. It doesn't make things easier, but I'm so much better at handling them.
The way the people around you position themselves around you to get in your pockets and in your mind is infuriating to me.
Most of the people around me have a vested interest in how much money I make. You know, so a celebrity could find themselves in a position where people could have meetings about their life without them involved. And when I say "their life" I mean not their professional life either. They could talk about their personal life.
Fame for me is like a place, a country I'm taking a tour through.
If someone sits and stares at you while you eat, you won't even eat the way you normally do, because it'll make you so uncomfortable. If I look at my dog when he's eating, he will look at me like, "Dave, I will bite you. What are you looking at? I'm trying to eat." It's something that dehumanizes a person, being on display like that.
Somebody broke into my house once, this is a good time to call the police, but mm mm, nope. The house was too nice. It was a real nice house, but they'd never believe i lived in it. They'd be like 'He's still here!
The language you are about to hear... is disturbing.
The kid is the best thing that ever happened to me.
The higher up I went, the less happy I was.
Everyone around me says, You're a genius! You're great! That's your voice! But I'm not sure if they're right.
For one year, I want to do this thing where I guest-star on as many television shows as I possibly can. I love television. The fact that television ultimately made me famous was very gratifying for me.
Everyone who wants to make it in comedy goes to L.A., so a million comedians fight for time on three stages. If you get in there in New York, you're working eight times a night sometimes. Who's going to be funny, the guy who works once a week, or the guy working eight times a night?
It seems like there's never enough famous white people among comic in Hollywood.
I'm an introspective dude.
Jerry Seinfeld, he was doing Letterman show all the time, so he kind of had an excuse, that people know the jokes already. He didn't have time to do stand-up. A guy like me, I have no excuses.
I would go to work on the show and I felt awful every day, that's not the way it was. ... I felt like some kind of prostitute or something. If I feel so bad, why keep on showing up to this place? I'm going to Africa. The hardest thing to do is to be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching.
I got real important relationships in my life that are very empowering relationships.
My generation is under-entertained.
A celebrity, whatever I am, you get cut off sometimes from people just by circumstance.
After a while, a joke, if you say it too much, just becomes contrived, or fake-sounding.
I love the fact that I have a show where you can run over a kid and everyone busts out laughing.
Why don't you click your heels three times and go back to Africa.
Being famous is great, it's not like bad or horrible or anything.
What is wrong with me i just bought a bag of weed from an infant.
The only thing harder than leaving show business is coming back.
With younger people I'm recognized with always Half-Baked, Blue Streak because it's on cable. Women, it's always You've Got Mail. Nutty Professor is pretty much everybody across the board. It seems like they like that one.
No one wants to get their ass beat to a soundtrack.
I got my hat pulled up low and no one can really see me. I'm ducked out. People do recognize me, and I have a pretty interesting fan base. It's a diverse group.
Because I was surrounded by so much negativity at some point that it took me going back and doing stand-up to realize, you know, people really like me.
New white people, you can't scare these white people, I tried.
I've been a comedian since I was fourteen. But I've never really been a CEO.
Whether it means having a show, or a movie, or just being on a stage, I need an avenue to say what I have to say.
― Dave Chappelle Quotes
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
