Puddy Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Chappelle Says Stress Caused Him to Leave By ANNA JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 20 minutes ago CHICAGO - Comedian Dave Chappelle told Oprah Winfrey he was stressed out and not crazy or on drugs when he abruptly left his hit Comedy Central show last spring during production. ADVERTISEMENT In his first television interview since ditching "Chappelle's Show" in May, Chappelle said that after he signed a $50 million deal for the third and fourth seasons in August 2004, too many people were trying to control him and his show. "I wasn't crazy but it is incredibly stressful," Chappelle, 32, said during his appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Friday. "I felt in a lot of instances I was deliberately being put through stress because when you're a guy who generates money people have a vested interested in controlling you," Chappelle said. Last May, with the premiere date looming for the third season, Chappelle stunned his fans and the entertainment industry by leaving the show in mid-production. He spent two weeks in South Africa before returning home to his farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio, about 75 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Chappelle has since resumed performing live standup. The provocative and sometimes raunchy comedian denied reports that his mysterious departure was caused by mental or drug problems. But he told Winfrey that other people were trying to get him to take psychotic medication when he decided to leave the show and country, without telling anyone except his brother before he left. Chappelle stressed that the fame that grew as his show become increasingly popular wasn't the problem, but instead he felt awful going to work. "I would go to work on the show and I felt awful every day, that's not the way it was" he said. "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." The comedian did not rule out returning to film the rest of third and fourth seasons of "Chappelle's Show" but only under certain circumstances. For example, Chappelle said he would like to donate a portion of the proceeds from DVD sales to the less fortunate. The status of his show has hung in limbo since May. Comedy Central announced in December that four half-hour episodes of "Chappelle's Show" — based on what Chappelle taped before leaving the production — will premiere in weekly airings this spring. A full season would have been between 10 and 13 episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 He appeared on an episode of The Actor's Workshop on Bravo recently, if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Skinman Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 He basically mentioned all of this in his live act when he strolled through SA a couple months back. I cannot stress (pun intended) again just how funny that motherflipinbastage is in concert. I could not stop ROFL the entire night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 stress sucks ..but i had to admit i can not associate stress that a millionaire actor/ comedian has compared to the stress of the every day working man ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 He basically mentioned all of this in his live act when he strolled through SA a couple months back. 1304379[/snapback] Yeah I had heard the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 lLet me just say I wish we had a graemlin with a finger other than the thumb stickin up for Dave Chapelle, friggin whiner, man I couldn't handle the stress for 50 million dollars <:flippinthebird:> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Yeah, it was probably the stress, not the coke, that did in Belushi as well ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Dave Chappelle has a farm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojo20 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 I saw the interview and he did seem a little crazy. At one point he said he was very paranoid because now that he was famous people always wanted things from him. Or some BS like that. For 50 Mil I would hire someone to be paranoid for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutrun Jellies Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Dave Chappelle has a farm? 1304811[/snapback] With moooo moooo here and an oink oink there ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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