Dave Chappelle receives Mark Twain Prize
WASHINGTON: Comedian and hometown hero Dave Chappelle was celebrated for his fearless commentary on American culture, when he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Centre.
Bradley Cooper, Morgan Freeman, Tiffany Haddish and Erykah Badu were among the all-stars of film, comedy and music who took to the Concert Hall stage to salute the District of Columbia’s native son, who launched his comedy career as a high school student. The show will be broadcast Jan 7 on PBS.
They honored the 46-year-old with humorous stories, clips from his comedy specials and TV series, heartfelt memories about working together and musical performances by artists who have performed with him over his career.
The audience was treated to clips of Chappelle’s controversial material – from his takes on OJ Simpson and Michael Jackson to riffs on sexual assault and guns – but the performers shied away from mentioning his material on transgender people, which some critics have called hateful and transphobic. Several comics mentioned Chappelle’s honesty and fearlessness.
“He’s willing to make fun of everybody, whether you’re white or gay. End of list,” joked ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member Michael Che. But Chappelle offered a thoughtful defense in his acceptance speech, saying he would fight for every comic’s right to talk about what’s on their minds.
“This is the truth, and you are obstructing it. I’m not talking about the content. I’m talking about the art form. Do you understand?” he said. “The First Amendment is first for a reason. The Second is just in case the first one doesn’t work out.
“I love my art form. It saved my life,” he said.
Chappelle thanked his family, especially his wife and mother, and the performers who participated in the evening.
“The thing I like the best of tonight, I saw so many people from different parts of my life. You guys have no idea how you inspire me,” he said.
He thanked Washington for its welcome, too. “I am honored to be a part of your community,” he said, noting that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, had proclaimed it Dave Chappelle Day.
Stand-up comedian and actress Sarah Silverman recalled
The thing I like the best of tonight, I saw so many people from different parts of my life. You guys have no idea how you inspire me. Dave Chappelle
performing in a DC comedy club with Chappelle when they were teenagers. She praised his intelligence and focus and said receiving the Mark Twain Prize was perfect for him because ‘you both love using the n-word.’
“Here’s the thing about Dave,” she continued. “Dave didn’t get funny eventually. He was always funny. He’s constantly evolving, he grows, he always finds some kind of new perspective. His critical thinking is his art... Sometimes I wholeheartedly disagree with him. But that’s what I love about Dave, what I love about art.”
Each aspect of Chappelle’s career was highlighted in the two-hour show. Comedian Neal Brennan told the origin story of their partnership and groundbreaking Comedy Central sketch series, ‘Chappelle’s Show,’ and described the whirlwind experience of working together.
“So much of it was completely off the top of his head. He made it all up,” Brennan said in a segment that was funny and sentimental. “When we started the show, I knew Dave was the funniest person I ever met. When we ended it, I knew he was one of the funniest people to ever live.”
“SNL” producer Lorne Michaels described his decision to ask Chappelle to make his ‘SNL’ hosting debut the weekend after the 2016 presidential election, a performance Michaels described as a ‘landmark show.’
“He’s a truthteller and the funniest person working today,” Michaels said. “He was perfect that night, just as he is the perfect person to receive this prize tonight.”
A comic workhorse, Chappelle has performed more than 1,600 shows in the past four years. He has starred in many cable comedy specials, including four Netflix releases in 2017 and 2018. ‘Equanimity,’ released last year, earned him an Emmy. Chappelle also has enjoyed a successful movie career, with credits that include the latest ‘A Star Is Born,’ Spike Lee’s ‘Chi-Raq’ and ‘You’ve Got Mail.’
Sunday’s ceremony featured an unusually large number of musical acts – including performances by Common, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Badu and John Legend. Their participation showcased Chappelle’s connection to music, as seen in his ‘Block Party’ documentary, his Ohio music festivals and his series of 16 concerts at Radio City Music Hall in 2017 that presented popular musicians alongside comics.
“Not only has Dave been one of the most gifted comics to walk the earth, he’s a passionate champion of music, a curator of artists,” Legend said before introducing a segment of ‘Block Party.’
Jon Stewart recalled Chappelle’s decision to leave his Comedy Central series, despite being offered US$50 million to continue.
“The courage it takes as a performer and artist to stand up for who you know you are. To take a chance on yourself. It’s just one more reason...why we all just love and respect and admire this man,” he said.
The Kennedy Centre first presented the Mark Twain Prize – honoring a lifetime contribution to American humor – to Richard Pryor in 1998. Past winners include Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Lily Tomlin and Billy Crystal. — The Washington Post