As previously reported, Dave Chappelle is set to return to the stage this month for a brief residency at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. The shows will not only feature stand-up comedy but also full orchestra and musical performances by The Roots, Busta Rhymes, DJ Premier, Erykah Badu, and Janelle Monae.
In support of the event, Chappelle stopped by The Late Show with David Letterman last night and set the record straight as to the real reason he walked away from his acclaimed sketch comedy series, Chappelle's Show, nearly a decade ago.
Chappelle initially joked that he never really left the show but was just "seven years late for work." However, he eventually revealed that he left due to other priorities in his life that were more important than his $50 million contract offer.
"It's very hard to go to someone like this because no one has done this before," Chappelle said. "So there's not too many people who don't think I'm crazy."
He continued:
"I look at like this: I'm at a restaurant with my wife, its a nice restaurant and we're eating dinner. I look across the room and say, 'You see this guy across the room. He has $100 million dollars, and we're eating the same entree. Ok, fine, I don't have $50 million dollars or whatever. Let's say I have $10 million in the bank, the only difference between having $10 million dollars and $50 million dollars is an astounding $40 million dollars."
Chappelle said he is still conflicted about his decision to this day because it would have been nice to have all that money.
"I'll go home and make the kids some integrity sandwiches, it makes no sense at all. There's nothing anyone can say. It's just you do what you feel like you need to do. It's a very complicated answer because I felt a variety of ways over the last ten years. Whenever there's something I'd like to have that I could have afford but I can't now, then I'm upset about it. But then when I see a guy who goes to a job that's time consuming and he doesn't have free time to do things I get to do, then I feel good about it."
He explained that "money is the fuel for choices" but added that he may or may not have been a happier person if he had taken the money. "Sometimes I listen to a Jay Z record and it starts making me feel bad about some of the choices I've made. This guy has had more fun on two songs that I've had over the last 11 years."
Despite his departure, Chappelle is still a relevant comedian. Tickets to his shows sold out in minutes.
Check out the full interview below, and let us know what you think in the comments section!
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