David Khari Webber Chappelle was born on 24 August 1973, in Washington, D.C. USA, and is an actor, comedian, film and television producer, as well as a screenwriter. Despite his many acting roles in a variety of television series and films, Dave Chappelle is widely recognized for his comedy sketch television series called “Chappelle’s Show” that premiered in 2003. Chappelle, who was a co-creator and one of the main stars on the show, managed to turn “Chappelle’s Show” into a national success.
So just how rich is Dave Chappelle, as of mid-2016 now? Authoritative sources estimate that Dave’s net worth is over $10 million, although Chappelle managed to earn as much as $12 million in 2005, while in 2006 his annual salary amounted to $22 million, so the estimate may be understated somewhat. Most of his wealth comes from his involvement in the entertainment industry, which began in the early ’90s.
Dave Chappelle Net Worth $10 Million
Dave Chappelle was born to parents both engaged in academia. He spent most of his childhood in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he studied at Woodlin Elementary School and then continued his education at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Soon Chappelle moved out to New York in order to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian, which began with a somewhat unsuccessful performance at the Apollo Theatre, and was followed by many attempts at securing a name for himself among the many comedians in New York at that time.
However, Chappelle’s determination resulted in a first film role in 1993; Chappelle debuted in the movie directed by Mel Brooks called “Robin Hood: Men in Tights”, starring alongside Cary Elwes and Richard Lewis. This role in particular opened many opportunities for Dave, who now not only focused on stand-up comedy, but movie appearances as well, so a year later, Chappelle was featured in a comedy film directed by Doug Liman, “Getting In”. Around the same time, Chappelle starred in several pilots for various television series, yet none of them were picked by networks. In 1996, Chappelle starred alongside his inspiration for pursuing comedy, Eddie Murphy in the movie “The Nutty Professor”, and several years later he co-created and starred in a stoner comedy movie “Half Baked”. Considered to be among the classic stoner films, “Half Baked” grossed over $17 million at the box office and was also a major contributor to Dave Chappelle’s net worth.
Despite the fact that Dave Chappelle has been a star in many television series and films, he is mostly recognized for his breakthrough series “Chappelle’s Show”. Listed at #31 among the “Top 100 TV Shows”, “Chappelle’s Show” is still considered to be Chappelle’s best and most successful project. The show that featured guest appearances from DMX, Kanye West, Eddie Griffin, Snoop Dogg and many more, enjoyed success for three seasons, and aired a total of 28 episodes.
Currently, Dave Chappelle is focusing on his stand-up comedy performances, and even took part in a festival called “Oddball Comedy & Curiosity” in 2013, as well as headlined a comedy duo called “Flight of the Conchords”.
In his personal life, Dave has been married to Elaine since 2001, and live they in Xenia, Ohio, where they also own other property. Dave converted to Islam in 1988, and contributes to the Seeds of Peace International Camp, in Otisfield, Maine, which unites American, Israeli, Palestinian, and Iraqi children among others from conflicting nations.
Primetime Emmy Awards (2005, 2004), Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, PGA Awards for Outstanding Producer of Variety Television (2005), Teen Choice Awards for Choice Comedian
"Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993),“The Nutty Professor” (1996), “Half Baked” (1998)
TV Shows
“Oddball Comedy & Curiosity” (2013), “Flight of the Conchords”, “Chappelle’s Show” (2003-2006), "Inside the Actor's Studio" (2013), "The Larry Sanders Show" (1998), "Heroes of Black Comedy" (2002), "2006 Grammy Awards" (2006)
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Trademark
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Newsboy cap
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His comedic point-of-view of popular culture and drugs
I want to tell my jokes. I want to have time with my children. I want to entertain people. And at one point, I'll walk away from show business. But I don't want to walk away empty-handed.
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[on Chappelle's Show (2003)] It was like taking somebody on a tour through a young black man's subconscious, and I don't think America has been there. So in a way it was kind of like reality TV, right?
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[on Chappelle's Show (2003)] I have to say, it was by far the best experience I ever had working in television. When you hear me say, like, 'I quit' and all this stuff, I mean, that was literally just like the tension and the dramatic situation of creating something. And the network executives have their responsibilities and I have my responsibilities, so this is a natural tension of these relationships. By far, it was better than any situation I ever had in corporate television.
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[on living in Ohio] Turns out you don't need $50 million to live around these parts, just a nice smile and a kind way about you. You guys are the best neighbors ever... That's why I came back and that's why I'm staying.
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I don't normally talk about my religion publicly because I don't want people to associate me and my flaws with this beautiful thing. And I believe it is beautiful if you learn it the right way.
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You can become famous but you can't become unfamous. You can become infamous but not unfamous.
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I look at it like that word, 'nigger', used to be a word of oppression. But that when I say it, it feels more like an act of freedom. For me to be able to say that unapologetically on television.
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"I figured, let me just cut myself off from everybody, take a minute and pull a Flintstone, stop a speeding car by using my bare feet as brakes." - on his abrupt departure from Chappelle's Show (2003).
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If you're Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, and your marriage is breaking up - that's an awful thing. But to see that speculation in people, it's gotta sting a little bit.
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I still think people do have racial hang-ups, but I think one of the reasons I can joke about it is people are shedding those racial hatreds.
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Fact
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Appeared on Actor Studio on 12th February 2006 [February 2006]
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Currently has his own show titled Chappelle's Show (2003) on Comedy Central. [January 2003]
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Living in Ohio after leaving for Africa on a spiritual retreat. [December 2005]
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His surname is pronounced "Shuh-pel".
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Met Muhammad Ali when he was three years old. A photo of their meeting is in the Bettman Archive.
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Has a brother, William, and a sister, Felicia.
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Named his production company "Pilot Boy Productions" in reference to the many failed pilots in which he starred.
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His maternal grandfather was a blind Caucasian who was raised to believe that he was African-American.
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Was considered by Kevin Smith to play Fletch in his aborted "Fletch Won" reboot. But Miramax refused him.
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He has two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and a daughter, Sonal.
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His mother has been a professor at Howard University, Wilberforce University, Central State University and University of Maryland. She is also a Unitarian Universalist minister.
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Wife Elaine is a Filipina.
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Made the Forbes Celebrity 100 List with $12 million in earnings.
#43 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time. He is the youngest person to make the list.
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Due to the popularity of his show, Comedy Central's parent company Viacom cut a $50 million deal with him that will continue the production of Chappelle's Show (2003) for two more years and will allow him to do side projects.
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He has gone on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) 8 times so far, more appearances than he has had on all other talk shows combined.
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Is very good friends with fellow comedian Mario Cantone, who appears in the "Ask A Gay Dude" segment on Chappelle's Show (2003).
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Was best friends and frequent co-writers with Neal Brennan. Their partnership ended when Chappelle abruptly left Chappelle's Show (2003) in its third season, though as of 2011 they have since patched things up with each other personally.
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Is one of the few (if not only) celebrities to do advertisements for both Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
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Grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Washington, D.C., and still lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his wife and children.
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His father taught music and voice at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
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Was in talks to play Rick James in a film about James' life. Prior to James' death, due to some content objections by Rick James himself, it was decided the project would not happen. (2004)