After nearly a decade out of the spotlight, 2017 has been a big year for comedian Dave Chappelle. After announcing a massive deal with Netflix late last year that paved the way for three new stand-up specials. Two of those special (recorded at Austin City Limits Live in April 2015 and at the Hollywood Palladium in March 2016, respectively) were released this past spring to widespread fanfare. Within a month, Netflix announced that they were the two most-viewed comedy specials in the streaming service’s history.
This summer, Chappelle completed an extended residency at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall with a slew of talented guests including musicians like John Mayer, The Roots, Erykah Badu, and Childish Gambino as well as fellow comedians Chris Rock, Trevor Noah, Ali Wong, and more. Chappelle and Mayer have also combined forces a number of times over the past year. Dave’s surprise appearance during one of Maryer’s solo shows sparked the idea for two last-minute comedy/music variety show performances in San Francisco, dubbed Controlled Danger. Yesterday, Chappelle and Mayer announced that they would reprise Controlled Danger” for a New Year’s Eve performance at The Forum in L.A. this December.
Dave Chappelle & John Mayer Announce “Controlled Danger” New Year’s Eve Arena Show
Currently, Chappelle is in the midst of a 11-show residency at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., where he lived for several years in his youth and got his start as a stand-up 30 years ago. On September 19th, in honor of the beginning of his D.C. residency and his 3-decade milestone in comedy, Chappelle hosted a private party where he and a bunch of familiar faces (including Ed Sheeran, who was in town for his own performance that night, and his Chappelle’s Show cast-mate Donnell Rawlings) jammed out late into the night. With a beer and his ever-present lit cigarette in hand, Dave led the band and the party-goers singing along to Damian Marley‘s “Welcome To Jamrock,” Stevie Wonder‘s “Superstition,” Prince‘s “Purple Rain” and, of course, his well-known favorite tune, Radiohead‘s “Creep.”
You can get a fly-on-the-wall look at how Dave Chappelle and his friends get down with video of Thanks to YouTube user toolboxdc: