10 Best Dave Chappelle Stand-up Comedy Specials Ranked
Dave Chappelle is already a household staple when it comes to comedy, and it is quite possible that everyone already knows him even when one is not really into his genre simply because he is just that great. And of course, let’s face it: Chappelle has been in the industry for quite some time now so it is no longer a surprise that the majority of adult viewers know him.
But for those who do not know him, one question stands: Are you living under a rock?
Kidding aside, let us get to know who Dave Chappelle is.
Who is Dave Chappelle?
The 48-year-old is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is most famously known for Chappelle’s Show which ran from 2003 to 2006. Aside from his show, he also took part in some movies like Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), The Nutty Professor (1996), and A Star Is Born (2018). He is no ordinary comedian, though, as he is a five-time Emmy Award and three-time Grammy Award winner. He is also a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient.
Now that we have established Chappelle’s credibility as a comedian, it is now time to take a look at his best stand-up comedy specials, ranked from the good to the best ones.
10. Redemption Song
Year: 2021
Runtime: 10m (released on IGTV)
The Redemption Song comes in 10th place since it is not a comedy sketch per se, rather a quick life update from Chappelle in a mix of serious and comedic delivery. In the 10-minute video, he narrates how he and Comedy Central have made amends on the status of Chappelle’s Show.
It is no secret that Chappelle previously asked his fans to boycott the show since he is not in a good relationship with Comedy Central which owned the rights to the show. But after years of not having a good standing with them, Chappelle jokes that he could finally say “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you” after finally being paid for his work and getting his name and license back.
9. The Closer
Year: 2021
Runtime: 1h 12m
The Closer is Chappelle’s sixth and final stand-up special in his 2016 deal with Netflix. Filmed in the Fillmore Theater in Detroit, the special is a compilation of seven sold-out shows in August of 2021. The Closer talks about writing children’s books, his experience with COVID-19, Twitter not being a real place, and adopting Juneteenth as a holiday, among others.
While some enjoyed the special, issues arose when the LGBTQ+ community called for the removal of the show from Netflix since some jokes showed discrimination against the African-American community which is relative to the discrimination that LGBTQ+ members receive. Netflix defended Chappelle and said that the jokes are just part of the comedian’s freedom of artistic expression.
8. Deep in the Heart of Texas
Year: 2017
Runtime: 1h 6m
Filmed at Austin City’s Moody Theater, Chappelle talks about racial run-ins, slivers of truth about celebrities, and some words of wisdom. Now while this special is released in 2017, iw was actually filmed in 2015, so some of the jokes might already be dated.
7. Age of Spin
Year: 2017
Runtime: 1h 7m
Dave Chappelle goes about his usual topics on racism, technology, and a then-current issue on OJ Simpson. This special definitely started Chappelle’s obvious awareness on social issues and how he uses his art and comedy to bring it to the world so that people may question what is already in front of them.
6. Sticks and Stones
Year: 2019
Runtime: 1h 5m
Sticks and Stones is based on the lyrics of Prince’s song, “1999”. In this special, Chappelle spills issues on high-profile celebrities. He also dabbles on controversial topics such as race, gender, and being pro-choice. Multiple issues arose in this special so one must take his jokes with a grain of salt since some topics really do not sit well with the whole audience. To compensate for this, Chappelle also shares some words of wisdom from his father and shares how their financial difficulties helped form him as a child.
5. The Bird Revelation
Year: 2017
Runtime: 43mThe Bird Revelation is a Netflix special released in 2017. Based on its title, one can already guess that there are a lot of secrets to be revealed in this 43-minute comedy special. Watch as Dave Chappelle facetiously reveal Hollywood’s sexual assault crisis as well as drop not so subtle hints about his long hiatus from the comedy scene.
4. For What It’s Worth
Year: 2004
Runtime: 1h
In his classic Chappelle style, the comedian takes on R. Kelly’s and Michael Jackson’s controversial careers. He also dabbles on how incomparable San Francisco is (the city where the special was filmed) to Utah. One commendable feat of Chappelle in this special is how he also talked about Utah kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart and how he was able to dive into that topic in a non-obscene and non-offensive way.
3. 8:46
Year: 2020
Runtime: 27m
One might be wondering what 8:46 stands for. Well, it stands for two things: one, it is the time that Chappelle was born at 8:46 am, and two it refers to the amount of time that police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck, choking him, which ultimately led to Floyd’s death.
Stemming from that, it can already be deduced that this special is unlike any other. The 27-minute unannounced special was uploaded on Netflix’s Youtube channel, “Netflix is a Joke”. It was filmed at a private outdoor space due to COVID-19 restrictions during the time of filming. The special, while shorter than most of Chappelle’s films, talks about violence against African-Americans.
2. Killin’ Them Softly
Year: 2000
Runtime: 57mKillin’ Them Softly is Chappelle’s first-ever filmed stand-up special released by HBO in 2000, and it was filmed in Lincoln Theater, Washington, DC. The special dabbles on topics such as racism, police brutality, and drug use, while highlighting a somewhat hierarchical structure in society, specifically how men are considered more superior than women and how whites are more privileged than people of color.
1. Equanimity
Year: 2017
Runtime: 1h 3m
Equanimity tops the list of the best Dave Chappelle stand-up specials. What does equanimity mean, then? It basically refers to a state of being calm and maintaining composure in a challenging situation. And close to that definition, Chappelle talks about growing up poor and how fans got upset and caught heat when Trump won the election. The 1-hour special was filmed in Washington, D.C. as part of Chappelle’s year-end special in 2017.
And there you have it: Dave Chappelle’s 10 best stand-up specials. Make sure to create a list so that you will not miss out on any if you ever do decide to binge-watch all of his specials. But if you have already watched a handful of his comedy specials, which one is your favorite? Did this list match your own preferences? Let us know!
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