Mark Twain Prize

NARRATOR: CORPORATE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY... CAPITAL ONE.

PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR AND PROUD UNDERWRITER OF THIS YEARS TELECAST.

CELEBRATING THE LEGACY AND COMEDIC GENIUS OF THE GREAT, DAVE CHAPPELLE.

AMERICAN AIRLINES AND AMERICAN EAGLE.

OFFER AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY 6,700 FLIGHTS PER DAY TO NEARLY 350 DESTINATIONS IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

NARRATOR: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM CONTAINS CONTENT WHICH MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE "GOAT" MR. DAVE CHAPPELLE.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

DAVE CHAPPELLE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

EVERYONE HAVE A SEAT AND RELAX.

TOMORROW WILL BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT NIGHT IN COMEDY.

I AM VERY SURPRISED TO GET THIS AWARD THIS YOUNG, BUT I PROMISE YOU I DESERVE IT.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

MAN, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS JOB IS LIKE.

I GREW UP WATCHING THE BEST (BLEEP) TALKERS THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

EVERY OPINION IN THIS COUNTRY, HAS A COMEDIAN THAT REPS YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

DAMN IT, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WITH A BRITTLE SPIRIT.

I WANT TO LIVE AMONGST SOLDIERS.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

[PIANO PLAYS] MAN: HOW ARE YOU SO YOUNG GETTING THIS AWARD?

DAVE: WELL, IT TOOK ME 32 YEARS, CHAMP.

ALRIGHT, NOW.

ALRIGHT, BE WELL GUYS.

SAVAGES!

I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW IT GOES.

HEY, HEY.

IT'S VERY RARE THAT YOU GET TO GET TOGETHER WITH EVERYBODY AND NOTHING'S WRONG.

I'M APPRECIATING THAT ASPECT OF IT IMMENSELY.

WOMAN: YOU NERVOUS AT ALL?

DAVE: TO GET A PRIZE, NO.

I AM GOING TO BE SURROUNDED BY ARTISTIC GENIUS TONIGHT AND AN AUDIENCE THAT HAS A HIGHER APPRECIATION FOR THE ARTS THAN MOST AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.

THIS DOESN'T CONSTITUTE HIGH PRESSURE, HERE.

SO MANY PEOPLE DESERVE THESE MOMENTS... MAN: IT'S AN HONOR TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU, MAN.

MAN 2: YOU THE MAN, DAVE!

DAVE: SO FEW PEOPLE GET THEM.

ANY REASON FOR ALL OF US TO BE TOGETHER IS FINE FOR ME.

SHOULD I WEAR THE GRILLZ OR... [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE] FREEMAN: DEARLY BELOVED... WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO GET THROUGH THIS LIFETIME PRIZE CALLED TWAIN AND CELEBRATE A LEGEND NAMED DAVE.

ELECTRIC WORD "LEGEND"...

IT MEANS YOU'RE REMEMBERED FOREVER AND THAT'S A MIGHTY LONG TIME.

BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT TONIGHT IS MORE THAN A CELEBRATION OF WHAT THIS LEGEND HAS DONE, IT IS TO REJOICE IN WHAT HE IS DOING AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, FOR DAVE, THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

AND NOW, BOYS AND GIRLS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF MARK TWAIN... LET'S GO (BLEEP) CRAZY!

FROM DAVE'S ALMA MATER, THE DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS SHOW BAND!

["LET'S GO CRAZY" BY PRINCE] DAVE: IS THAT THE DUKE ELLINGTON BAND?

MAN: YO!

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WORLD YOU'RE LIVING IN.

TAKE A LOOK AROUND.

AT LEAST YOU GOT FRIENDS.

YOU SEE I CALLED MY OLD LADY.

FOR A FRIENDLY WORD.

SHE PICKED UP THE PHONE DROPPED IT ON THE FLOOR.

"AH, AH" IS ALL I HEARD.

ARE WE GONNA LET THE ELEVATOR BRING US DOWN?

OH, NO LET'S GO!

LET'S GO CRAZY.

OH, LET'S GO.

LET'S GO CRAZY.

LET'S GO, LET'S GO.

LET'S GO, LET'S GO.

FREEMAN: AND NOW, THE 22ND RECIPIENT OF THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR, DAVE CHAPPELLE!

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

[MUSIC ENDS].

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

["MARY JANE" BY RICK JAMES] TIFFANY HADDISH: HEY YA'LL.

HEY YA'LL, MY NAME IS TIFFANY HADDISH.

THIS IS WHERE YOU GUYS SHOULD APPLAUD AND GO CRAZY.

I'LL WAIT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDS].

DAVE, I SEE WHY YOU WEAR THESE THE ARE SO COMFORTABLE!

LOOK, LOOK AT THIS ROOM Y'ALL, LOOK AT THIS ROOM.

LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WE GOT HERE AT THIS PARTY.

YES!

COMEDIANS, ACTORS AND MUSICIANS ARE ALL HERE FOR ONE MAN.

WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE DAVE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MAYBE NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD CAN.

I MET DAVE OVER 20 YEARS AGO AND WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS EVER SINCE.

DAVE YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY MENTOR, MY BIG BROTHER.

AND UH, EVERY TIME I STEP ON STAGE, EVERY TIME, I THINK OF YOU CAUSE, UM, I ALWAYS WANNA MAKE YOU PROUD BECAUSE YOU THE "GOAT" YOU KNOW, YOU THE GREATEST.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT DAVE IS HIS SPONTANEITY.

OH, MY FAVORITE STORY WITH DAVE WAS ON CHRISTMAS.

ONE YEAR AFTER I FINISHED FEEDING THE HOMELESS AT THE LAUGH FACTORY...

I DO THAT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE I NEVER FORGET WHERE I CAME FROM... NOT THE LAUGH FACTORY, HOMELESS, HOMELESS.

DAVE CALLED ME TO MEET HIM FOR DRINKS AND WHEN I ARRIVED, I SEE HIM THERE WITH MARLON WAYANS AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT ARE YA'LL FATHERS DOING HERE ON CHRISTMAS?

SHOULDN'T Y'ALL BE WITH Y'ALL KIDS?"

AND DAVE SAID, "WHO ARE YOU, SCROOGE?

BITCH, HAVE A DRINK!"

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

SO WE LAUGHED AND JOKED TIL ABOUT 1: 00 A.M. AND THEN DAVE WAS LIKE, "YA'LL WANNA GO BOWLING?"

AND WE WERE LIKE, "AIN'T NOBODY, AIN'T NO BOWLING ALLEY OPEN ON CHRISTMAS THIS LATE!

LIKE, WHAT, WHAT YOU TALKIN' BOUT?"

HE STARTED LAUGHING, HE SAID, UH, "DO YOU REALIZE I'M DAVE CHAPPELLE?"

HE MADE A PHONE CALL AND THEN WE JUMPED IN HIS SUV AND THEN WE STARTED GOING UP THIS HILL AND THEN WE PULLED UP TO THESE HUGE GATES.

I MEAN, HUGE.

I WAS LIKE, "ARE WE FITTIN TO BE BOWLING AT JURASSIC PARK?"

WE GET OUT THE CAR, GO TO THE DOOR AND GUESS WHO OPENED THE DOOR, GUESS WHO OPENED IT?

I SAID, "GUESS" BITCH, GUESS.

EDDIE MURPHY OPENED THE DOOR!

WE WAS AT EDDIE MURPHY HOUSE!

WE WAS AT EDDIE MURPHY HOUSE AND I WAS LIKE... AND DAVE WAS LIKE, "CALM DOWN, CALM YOUR ASS DOWN, WE'RE GONNA GET KICKED OUT."

I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS AXEL FOLEY, GOT A BOWLING ALLEY!"

WE MUST'VE TALKED AND LAUGHED AND SHARED STORIES FOR HOURS.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY DAVE IS.

HE'S SPONTANEOUS AND HE'S MAGICAL AND HE'S A HORRIBLE BOWLER.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

PAUL: HI, I'M PAUL PELOSI.

TIFFANY: I'M TIFFANY HADDISH.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

PAUL: WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

MY WIFE NANCY.

TIFFANY: HEY NANCY.

SPEAKER PELOSI: HEY, YOU WERE GREAT!

TIFFANY: THANK YOU SO MUCH!

(INAUDIBLE).

SPEAKER PELOSI: YEAH, WE WERE MOVING WITH YA, BABE!

[LAUGHTER] DAVE: I GOT THE FIRST SHOW, EVER, AT THIS CLUB.

CHRIS: WHAT?

DAVE: THAT WAS IN '92.

TIME FLIES, MAN.

CHRIS: YEAH, MAN.

TIME AIN'T NO JOKE.

ANNOUNCER: GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND WELCOME TO THE D.C. IMPROV!

DAVE: AIN'T NO SMOKIN IN HERE!

TONY: HEY MAN, YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT.

IT'S DAVE'S NIGHT, IT'S DAVE'S WEEKEND.

ALRIGHT!

CHRIS: DAVE, YOU THE MAN.

YOU BRING OUT EVERYBODY!

DAVE CHAPPELLE, HE GOT THE MARK TWAIN AWARD.

GIVE IT UP FOR DAVE GETTING THE MARK...

TWAIN... AWARD.

MAKING HIMSELF A WHOLE BUNCH OF DAMN... YOU KNOW YOU'RE MAKING A BUNCH OF MONEY WHEN YOU GET A MARK TWAIN AWARD.

I JUST BARELY KNOW WHO MARK TWAIN ASS IS.

DAVE: MAN, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GET AN HONOR LIKE THIS IN THIS VERY CITY I STARTED FROM.

IN FACT, LITTLE TRIVIA FOR YOU...

THE FIRST SHOW, IN THIS VERY ROOM, I WAS THE FIRST COMEDIAN ON STAGE.

IT WAS ME, A GUY NAMED BRIAN REGAN AND SOME DYKE NAMED ELLEN DEGENERES.

WE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS GAY BACK THEN, WE WERE ALL TRYING TO GET SOME (BLEEP).

OH, I'M SORRY I THOUGHT THIS WAS A COMEDY CLUB.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THIS MIGHT BE AMERICA'S LAST SAFE PLACE TO SAY WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE SAYING AND LAUGH AT WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE LAUGHING.

THIS IS SACRED GROUND.

LIVE COMEDY IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING IN THE WORLD TO ME.

YOU'RE STANDING UP THERE LIKE A GLADIATOR; MAYBE THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT I FEEL LIKE MYSELF.

ED: AT 19, HE'S THE YOUNGEST COMEDIAN IN "STAR SEARCH" HISTORY.

FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., HERE IS DAVE CHAPPELL.

DAVE: THANKS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ED MENTIONED THIS, I WAS RECENTLY ON BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION... KINDA HAVE A FEELING MOST OF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

I USED TO THINK ALL WHITE PEOPLE WERE HAPPY.

JUST TO BE WHITE.

I THOUGHT YA'LL SIT AROUND, "(BLEEP) WHAT!

THIS FEELS GREAT, TAXI!

(MIMICS TIRES SCREECH) JUST CHECKIN!

I SPOKE AT MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL AND I TOLD THEM KIDS STRAIGHT UP.

IF YOU GUYS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING IT OUT OF THIS GHETTO, YOU GOTTA FOCUS, YOU GOTTA STOP BLAMING WHITE PEOPLE FOR YOUR PROBLEMS AND YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO RAP OR PLAY BASKETBALL OR SOMETHING NIGGA, YOU TRAPPED!

YOU ARE TRAPPED!

EITHER DO THAT OR SELL CRACK, THAT'S YOUR ONLY OPTIONS.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I'VE EVER SEEN IT WORK.

BETTER GET TO ENTERTAINING THESE WHITE PEOPLE.

GET TO DANCING!

I USED TO WATCH A (BLEEP) CARTOON WHEN I WAS GROWING UP CALLED, "CARE BEARS".

THEY WERE LIKE TEDDY BEARS, BUT THEY WERE LIKE PEOPLE.

AND THEY ALL (BLEEP) JUST WALKED AROUND CARING.

THEY CARED ABOUT EACH OTHER AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND WHEN (BLEEP) GOT REAL BAD, THEY GOT DETERMINED.

(GRUNTS).

AND THE LEADER WOULD SAY, "COME ON, GUYS!

IT'S TIME FOR THE CARE BEAR STARE!"

REMEMBER THIS (BLEEP)?

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND THEM LITTLE TEDDY BEARS WOULD LOCK ARMS AND STARE AT THE PROBLEM AND I'M NOT EVEN (BLEEP)... ACTUAL LOVE WOULD SHOOT OUT OF THEIR CHEST.

AZIZ: NOVEMBER, 2003.

I'M A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE AT N.Y.U, I'D BEEN DOING STAND UP MAYBE TWO YEARS.

MY MOM CALLS ME UP AND SAYS, "AZIZ, ARE YOU COMING HOME FOR THANKSGIVING?"

AND I SAID, "MOM, YOU KNOW THE MONEY I SET ASIDE TO COME HOME FOR THANKSGIVING, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE OF PLAN.

DAVE CHAPPELLE IS DOING SOME SHOWS IN SAN FRANCISCO AT THE PUNCHLINE AND I GOTTA GO SEE THAT.

AND SHE'S LIKE, "WHO IS DAVE CHAPPELL?"

I SAID, "HE'S MAYBE THE GREATEST COMEDIAN ALIVE."

SHE SAID, "IS THAT THE GUY THAT GOES, 'I'M RICK JAMES, BITCH'?"

AND I SAID, "YES!"

SHE SAID, "HE'S HILARIOUS, HAVE A GOOD TIME."

AND I WENT TO THOSE SHOWS, I SAW ALL...

IT WAS LIKE SIX SHOWS THAT HE DID AT THE PUNCHLINE AND THESE WERE THOSE DAVE CLUB SHOWS WHERE HE DID, YOU KNOW, REALLY LONG SETS THAT WENT 'TIL LIKE 4:00 OR 5:00 IN THE MORNING.

AND, AND THEY WERE HILARIOUS, AND THEY WERE THOUGHT PROVOKING AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

AND SINCE THEN, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW DAVE AS A FRIEND.

WE'VE DONE SHOWS TOGETHER AND BEYOND BEING AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMER, HE IS AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING.

I REMEMBER A MOMENT ONE TIME WE WERE AT A PARTY.

SOMEONE CAME UP TO HIM TO ASK FOR A PHOTO AND HE SAID, "HEY, WE'RE NOT HERE TO TAKE PICTURES, WE'RE HERE TO MAKE MEMORIES."

AND THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT AND THAT'S HOW HE LIVES HIS LIFE.

HE TREATS EVERY MOMENT LIKE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A WONDERFUL MEMORY.

YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS YEAR DAVE AND I, WE DID SOME SHOWS TOGETHER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

WE FINISH THE SHOWS, WE'RE IN THE GREENROOM TOGETHER AND, UH, DAVE SAID, "WHAT KIND OF NIGHT YOU TRYING TO HAVE TONIGHT, AZIZ?"

AND I SAYS, "AW, YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY GONNA TAKE IT EASY, WE WENT HARD YESTERDAY AND WE'VE GOT SHOWS TOMORROW."

AND HE SAID, "WELL, YOU WANNA EAT THESE PSYCHEDELIC MUSHROOMS I GOT?

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AMAZING."

SORRY DAVE'S FAMILY.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW, DAVE.

MAYBE I'LL JUST TAKE IT EASY AND GET SOME REST FOR TOMORROW."

AND HE SAID, "WELL AZIZ, NO ONE KNOWS THIS BUT TOMORROW THEY'RE GONNA ANNOUNCE THAT I AM THE WINNER OF THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR."

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND HE SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU GONNA TELL YOUR KIDS 20 YEARS FROM NOW, AZIZ?

ARE YOU GONNA TELL 'EM, 'I WAS THERE THE DAY DAVE CHAPPELLE FOUND OUT HE WON THE MARK TWAIN AWARD AND WE ATE MUSHROOMS TOGETHER AND WE HAD THE NIGHT OF OUR LIVES?'

OR ARE YOU GONNA TELL 'EM YOU GOT SOME SLEEP?"

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND I SAID, "DAVE, YOU GOT A POINT, LET'S EAT THOSE MUSHROOMS!"

TO TWAIN!

JAY: THIS IS SOME REAL (BLEEP).

I THINK IF DOGS COULD TALK, NEGLECTED DOGS, THEY WOULD SOUND LIKE DAVE CHAPPELLE.

LIKE, LIKE IF YOU LEAVE 'EM IN THE BACK YARD TOO LONG HE'D BE COMPLAINING; HE'D BE LIKE, "(BLEEP), SON, I NEED SOMEBODY TO GET BACK HERE.

NOBODY FEEDS ME!

(SCREAMS) DAVE: YEAH, THE JACKET IS FRESH AS (BLEEP).

RON: OH!

NEAL: HEY RON, HOW ARE YOU?

DAVE: HE LOOKS LIKE HE JUST GOT BACK FROM BEATING UP (BLEEP).

THE FIRST TIME ANYONE BROUGHT ME ON STAGE, GUY NAMED J.T.

NEWTON, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IS J.T.

ALIVE?

SERIOUSLY.

CROWD: HE LIVES IN LONG ISLAND.

DAVE: WELL, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

YOU EVER THINK A NIGGA WAS DEAD, BUT HE JUST LIVED IN LONG ISLAND?

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

I WENT TO A COMEDY CLUB WITH MY VERY BEST FRIEND, WE'RE STILL FRIENDS TO THIS DAY.

WE SHOWED UP EARLY, IT WAS 5:00.

BACK IN THOSE DAY'S ALL YOU HAD TO DO TO BE A COMEDIAN WAS SHOW UP EARLY ENOUGH TO SIGN THE LIST.

IT WAS 20 SPOTS, I CAME RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL, I PICKED SEVEN.

MY BEST FRIEND AT THE TIME PICKED THE FIFTH.

HE BOMBED.

HE DIDN'T MAKE IT.

J.T.

INTRODUCED ME, HE SAID, "FOLKS, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO START SOMEWHERE AND TONIGHT, THIS YOUNG MAN IS STARTING HERE."

I REMEMBER IT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

HE SAID, "YOU MIGHT BE WITNESSING THE BIRTH OF A STAR, PLEASE WELCOME DAVE CHAPEL."

I WENT BY MYSELF, BUT BY THE TIME I WENT ON, MY MOTHER WHO IS HERE TONIGHT... [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND HER MOTHER WHO IS NO LONGER WITH US SHOWED UP.

"I BEGGED YOU NOT TO COME."

OH, I BEGGED THEM NOT TO COME.

I SAID, "THE ONLY WAY I CAN HANDLE THIS IS TO CONFRONT IT."

SO I WENT TO MY GRANDMOTHER AND SAID, "LISTEN, NANNA, UM, LISTEN, I'M GONNA SAY SOME THINGS TONIGHT THAT YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD ME SAY."

AND, MOM, YOU'LL APPRECIATE THIS, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOUR MOTHER SAID TO ME?

MOM: SHE SAID, "I'VE HEARD WORSE."

DAVE: NO.

SHE SAID, "BABY, DO THIS (BLEEP)."

IT WAS ON!

I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY TO YOU MOM, NOT ONLY "THANK YOU" BUT "I TOLD YOU SO!"

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

WOMAN: THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU'LL NEED SOMEONE.

COMMON: YEAH, DAVE.

WOMAN: I WILL BE BY YOUR SIDE.

COMMON: WE LOVE YOU, BROTHER.

WOMAN: THERE IS A LIGHT, THAT SHINES.

SPECIAL FOR YOU.

SPECIAL FOR ME, YEA.

COMMON: I NEVER KNEW A LUH, LUH-LUH, A LOVE LIKE THIS.

GOTTA BE SOMETHIN FOR ME TO WRITE THIS.

QUEEN, I AIN'T SEEN YOU IN A MINUTE.

WROTE THIS LETTER, AND FINALLY DECIDE TO SEND IT.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, FOR US TO GROW TOGETHER.

LOVE HAS NO LIMIT, LET'S SPEND IT SLOW FOREVER.

I KNOW YOUR HEART IS WEATHERED BY WHAT STUDS DID TO YOU.

I AIN'T GON' ASSAULT EM, I DID IT TOO.

BECAUSE OF YOU, FEELINGS I HANDLE WITH CARE.

BROTHERS RECOGNIZE YOUR LIGHT BUT THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE GLARE.

HEY, I AIN'T THE TYPE TO WALK AROUND WITH MATCHIN SHIRTS.

IF RELATIONSHIP IS EFFORT I WILL MATCH YOUR WORK.

I WANNA BE THE ONE TO MAKE YOU HAPPIEST, HURT YOU THE MOST.

THE END IS NEAR, COME CLOSE.

WOMAN: TO WHAT?

COMMON: TO THE MOST, HIGH REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPEN ON HIM LET'S RELY.

WOMAN: THERE ARE TIMES.

WHEN YOU'LL NEED SOMEONE.

COMMON: SAY WHAT, COME ON!

WOMAN: I WILL BE BY YOUR SIDE.

COMMON: YEAH, LET 'EM KNOW ABOUT THE LIGHT, Y'ALL COME ON.

WOMAN: THERE IS A LIGHT, THAT SHINES.

SPECIAL FOR YOU AND ME.

COMMON: YO, YO, YO... DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DIGGA-DA-DA.

DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DIGGA-DA-DA.

DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DA, DIGGA-DIGGA-DA-DA.

YO, I TELL YOU THE REST WHEN I SEE YOU; PEACE!

DAVE, YOU THE GREATEST BABY.

WE LOVE YOU, MAN.

THE GREATEST, BROTHER.

DEEP IN THE LIGHT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE INCOMPARABLE, JOHN LEGEND [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

JOHN: HELLO!

NOT ONLY AM I A BIG FAN OF DAVE'S, BUT I GREW UP IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO...

YES, ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM WHERE DAVE LIVES NOW AND SPENT A LOT OF HIS CHILDHOOD.

I KNOW WE'RE IN D.C., AND HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE TOO, BUT DAVE IS FROM OHIO, OKAY?

WE'RE CLAIMING HIM.

NOW, MOST OF THE OUTSTANDING BOLD FACE NAMES FROM OHIO BECOME FAMOUS AFTER THEY LEAVE OHIO.

ONE COULD ARGUE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE OHIO TO SUCCEED.

BUT AMAZINGLY DAVE STILL LIVES IN THE BUCKEYE STATE.

HE STILL LIVES IN THE KIND OF TOWN THAT MAKES PEOPLE WONDER, "WHY DOES DAVE CHAPPELLE LIVE IN THAT TOWN?"

HE LIVES IN THE, "SO-CALLED" FORGOTTEN AMERICA.

DAVE NEVER FORGOT ABOUT IT.

HE HAS BROUGHT THE WORLD TO OHIO.

HIS ANNUAL MUSICAL JAM SESSIONS ON A LOCAL FARM ARE LEGENDARY.

HE'S BROUGHT SOME OF THE GREATEST TALENTS IN THE WORLD TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE LIFE THERE.

AND RECENTLY, AFTER THE MASS SHOOTING IN DAYTON, TO BRING COMFORT AFTER TRAGEDY.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND OF COURSE, THE MOST ICONIC AND UNFORGETTABLE JAM SESSION THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY WAS BACK IN 2005.

HE TOOK A GROUP FROM HIS HOMETOWN IN OHIO, INCLUDING STUDENTS FROM OUR LOCAL HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITY, CENTRAL STATE, ON A BUS TO BROOKLYN.

YES!

AND WHEN THEY GOT TO BROOKLYN, WHAT AN AMAZING POP CULTURE MOMENT DAVE CREATED.

HE BROUGHT TOGETHER SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HIP-HOP AND NEO-SOUL ARTISTS IN THE WORLD FOR AN EPIC CONCERT THAT BLENDED DAVE'S COMEDY AND HIS IMPECCABLE TASTE IN MUSIC.

DAVE: COMEDIANS AND MUSICIANS, WE'RE LIKE THIS.

EVERY COMIC WANTS TO BE A MUSICIAN, EVERY MUSICIAN THINKS THEY'RE FUNNY.

MOTHER'S GOT THREE (BLEEP).

ONE FOR MILK, ONE FOR WATER AND THE OTHER ONE'S OUR OF ORDER.

HIT ME!

YOU SEE, IT'S NOT EVEN THAT FUNNY, BUT THE HIT.

IT JUST PUSHES IT OVER THE TOP.

NOBODY HAS THREE (BLEEP), IT'S RIDICULOUS.

ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THIS CONCERT, BEFORE I EVER MET 'EM, I WAS FANS OF THEIRS.

SO, TO WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE IN THIS KIND OF SETTING IS A DREAM COME TRUE.

THIS IS THE CONCERT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE.

KANYE: WELL, IF THIS TAKE AWAY FROM MY SPINS WHICH WILL PROBABLY TAKE AWAY FROM MY ENDS THEN I HOPE THIS TAKE AWAY FROM MY SINS AND BRING THE DAY THAT I'M DREAMING ABOUT NEXT TIME I'M IN THE CLUB EVERYBODY SCREAMING OUT JE-SUS WALKS.

GOD SHOW ME THE WAY THE DEVILS TRYING TO BRING ME DOWN.

DAVE: WE SHOOK UP THE WORLD!

WE SHOOK UP THE WORLD!

Q-TIP: HOW Y'ALL DOIN?

MY NAME IS Q-TIP, I'M UH, I AM PROUD TO BE THE ARTISTIC CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF HIP-HOP HERE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

I WANT TO TALK TO MY BRO, MY FRIEND.

YOU MY BROTHER, I LOVE YOU.

I'VE KNOWN THIS DUDE SINCE HE FIRST STARTED.

AND IT WAS 1992 OR 1993, HE CAME ON THE BUS HE WAS LIKE, "HI, I'M DAVE CHAPPELLE."

I WAS LIKE, "YO, YOU DAVE CHAPPELLE, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, I SAW "ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS".

I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY RAPPER THAT WAS WATCHING MEL BROOKS BACK THEN.

JEFF: I BOUGHT DAVE HIS FIRST SUIT WHEN HE DID LETTERMAN IN 1995, MIGHT HAVE BEEN '94.

I TOOK HIM TO BARNEYS WITH MY COUSIN.

HE WAS STILL WEARING, UM, CROSS COLORS.

DAVE: NOW DON'T TENSE UP ON ME, I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK THAT I'M AN ANGRY BLACK GUY.

I AM AN ANGRY BLACK BUY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE AN ANGRY BLACK GUY THOUGH, IT'S DIFFERENT FOR ME.

SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION OR NOT, BUT I HAVE BEEN BLACK FOUR LIVES IN A ROW.

I NEED A BREAK.

FREDERIC: PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME TO THE STAGE, THE CO-CREATOR OF "THE CHAPPELLE SHOW", THE ONE AND ONLY, NEAL BRENNAN.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

MAN: CHAPPELLE'S SHOW, CHAPPELLE'S SHOW, CHAPPELLE'S SHOW, CHAPPELLE'S SHOW CHAPPELLE'S SHOW, CHAPPELLE'S SHOW.

NEAL: HI, DAVE.

HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS NIGHT CAME TO BE.

DAVE DOESN'T TEND TO LIKE FORMAL EVENTS.

NORMALLY HE DRESSES LIKE A WINDOW WASHER.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HIS WIFE ELAINE SAID TO HIM, "BABE HOW CAN I GET YOU TO STOP SMOKING FOR TWO HOURS?"

AND DAVE, ASSUMING IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN WAS LIKE, "UM, YOU'D HAVE TO GET JON STEWART, SARAH SILVERMAN, NEAL, Q-TIP, TIFFANY HADDISH, LORNE MICHAELS, JOHN LEGEND, BRADLEY COOPER, AND SAY MORGAN FREEMAN, TO FLY TO D.C. AND HONOR MY TALENT".

ELAINE SAID, "GREAT, OCTOBER 27TH" AND DAVE WAS LIKE, "(BLEEP)!"

DAVE GAVE ME A CAREER.

WE MET IN 1992 AT A COMEDY CLUB IN NEW YORK CITY, WE WROTE A FEW JOKES TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS, BUT I ALWAYS HOPED WE COULD DO SOMETHING BIGGER.

THEN IN 1997 DAVE CALLS ME AND GOES, "HEY, IF UNIVERSAL REACHES OUT TO YOU, TELL THEM WE'RE WRITING A WEED MOVIE TOGETHER".

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT WEED MOVIE?"

AND DAVE SAID, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT".

NEXT THING I KNOW, SOMEONE FROM UNIVERSAL CALLS ME AND ASKS, "ARE YOU WRITING A WEED MOVIE WITH DAVE CHAPPELLE?"

AND I WAS LIKE "YES?"

AND THEY GO "WHEN CAN YOU PITCH IT TO US?"

AND I WAS LIKE "IN 30 DAYS' TIME."

SO WE HAD A MONTH TO FIGURE THE PITCH OUT, AND FINALLY ON DAY 29 I CALL DAVE AND I'M LIKE, "DUDE, WE GOTTA WORK THIS WEED MOVIE OUT".

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

AND HE GOES, "WHAT WEED MOVIE?"

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

ANYHOW, THE DAY BEFORE THE PITCH WE OUTLINED "HALF BAKED", IT TOOK THE FULL DAY, ABOUT 16 HOURS, AND THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL REALLY SHOWED UP ONSCREEN.

DAVE: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT I CAN'T EVEN MOVE!

GUILLERMO: IT'S LIKE I FEEL STUCK HERE, YO.

NEAL: CUT TO JANUARY OF 1998, "HALF BAKED" OPENED AGAINST "GOOD WILL HUNTING" [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

"WAG THE DOG", "AS GOOD AS IT GETS", AND OH YEAH, "TITANIC".

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

RIGHT?

IT WAS A CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL FLOP, AND QUITE FRANKLY ISN'T VERY GOOD.

A COUPLE YEARS LATER, AFTER THE STINK WORE OFF, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY, DAVE AND I WERE ON THE PHONE AGAIN, WHICH IS A THING PEOPLE USED TO DO, AND HE SAYS TO ME "HEY MAN, WE SHOULD DO A TV SHOW LIKE 'PLAYBOY AFTER DARK'".

NOW, IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT "PLAYBOY AFTER DARK" WAS, GET YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER, BECAUSE YOU'RE ON DEATH'S DOOR.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER "PLAYBOY AFTER DARK", IT WAS A SUPER LAID-BACK TV SHOW IN THE 1970S HOSTED BY HUGH HEFNER WHO WAS A MAGAZINE PUBLISHER AND MILD SEX TRAFFICKER.

IMAGINE JEFFREY EPSTEIN WITH A GROTTO.

ANYWAY, DAVE AND I FIGURED OUT A ROUGH FORMAT FOR WHAT WOULD COME TO BE "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW".

WENT AROUND PITCHING TO A FEW NETWORKS.

HBO DIDN'T GO GREAT, THE WOMAN ACTUALLY SAID TO DAVE, AND I QUOTE, "WHY DO WE NEED YOU WHEN WE HAVE CHRIS ROCK?"

SEE BACK THEN THERE COULD ONLY BE ONE POPULAR BLACK COMEDIAN AT A TIME, UNLIKE TODAY, WHEN THERE CAN BE THREE.

SO A FEW MINUTES LATER WE PITCHED AT COMEDY CENTRAL AND THEY BOUGHT IT.

WE MADE THE PILOT OF "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW", WE GOT PICKED UP TO SERIES, AND THE SHOW WENT REALLY WELL.

LIKE ABSURDLY WELL.

LIKE SO WELL, YOU GOTTA GO TO AFRICA WELL.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

DAVE: OUR TOP STORY, AS WE ALL KNOW CONGRESS RECENTLY APPROVED PAYING OVER $1 TRILLION TO AFRICAN AMERICANS AS REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY.

DONNELL: NOW I GOT ENOUGH CIGARETTES TO LAST ME AND MY FAMILY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

I'M RICH BEE-AAACH!

[HONKS HORN].

WHEN WE STARTED THE SHOW, I KNEW DAVE WAS THE FUNNIEST PERSON I'D EVER MET, BY THE END OF THE SHOW I KNEW DAVE WAS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE WHO'D EVER LIVED.

THERE WERE TIMES WHEN HE WOULD JUST IMPROVISE SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NEVER TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THAT HE'D MAYBE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.

CLAYTON BIGSBY'S ENTIRE SPEECHES ABOUT "BREATHING THE WHITE MAN'S AIR," AND "WILL AND GRACE" ALL IMPROVISED.

DAVE: IF YOU DON'T LIKE "WILL AND GRACE" THAT DON'T MEAN THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU!

MEANS THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WILL!

HE'S HOMOSEXUAL.

NEAL: TYRONE BIGGUMS' SPEECH TO THE KIDS ABOUT DOING DRUGS WITH MICKEY MOUSE, TOTALLY MADE UP.

DAVE: YOU!

YOU KNOW WHAT DOG FOOD TASTES LIKE, DO YOU?

IT TASTES JUST LIKE IT SMELLS.

DELICIOUS.

NEAL: RICK JAMES SAYING "IT'S A CELEBRATION" AND "(BLEEP) YOUR COUCH," DAVE: BUY ANOTHER ONE YOU RICH (BLEEP)!

(BLEEP) YOUR COUCH, NIGGA!

(BLEEP) YOUR COUCH!

NEAL: AND "WHAT DID THE FIVE FINGERS SAY TO THE FACE?"

DAVE: SLAP!

NEAL: HE MADE IT ALL UP.

WRITING AND DIRECTING DAVE SOMETIMES WAS AS SIMPLE ME STANDING ON SET WITH MY JAW HANGING OPEN LIKE, "UH, CUT?"

THE THING THAT I LOVED ABOUT "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW" IS THAT IT ALLOWED DAVE TO BE HIS ENTIRE SELF, TO EXPRESS HIS INTELLECT, HIS ANGER, HIS MORALITY, HIS SILLINESS, HIS HYPOCRISIES, HIS SADNESS, HIS BLAZING TALENT.

"CHAPPELLE'S SHOW" WAS A RARE THING.

IT WAS A FULLY FACETED DOCUMENT OF A HUMAN BEING LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHILE HAVING THE SURREAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING BORN WITH BLACK SKIN.

SO YOU KNOW, "PLAYBOY AFTER DARK".

ALSO, THE SHOW WAS PERSONAL.

SEE, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE DAVE BLAMED ME FOR THE FAILURE OF "HALF BAKED", SO ONE DAY WE WERE SHOOTING A SKETCH WHERE DAVE QUIT THE SHOW BECAUSE HE GOT OPRAH PREGNANT.

AND UM... AND WE'RE DOING A SCENE WHEN HE'S GOING LIKE RAMPAGING THROUGH THE OFFICES, AND HE GETS TO ME AND HE DUMPS TRASH OVER MY HEAD.

AND HERE'S WHY I SUSPECT HE BLAMED ME FOR "HALF BAKED".

AS HE DUMPED THE TRASH OVER MY HEAD, HE SAID "THIS IS FOR 'HALF BAKED'".

ALRIGHT, AS YOU CAN SEE HE CLAIMS THAT I ACTUALLY WROTE THAT LINE AND TOLD HIM TO SAY IT, WHICH IS THE ONLY TIME THIS ENTIRE EVENING THAT I WILL BE RECEIVING ANY CREDIT FOR "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW".

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE] DONNELL: ME AND DAVE ARE BOTH FROM D.C., WHICH MEANS THAT WE STARTED OUR CAREERS TAKING THE TRAIN TO (BLEEP) COMEDY SHOWS.

DAVE CHAPPELLE IS HE OLDEST YOUNG COMEDIAN IN THE (BLEEP) BUSINESS.

"I'M (BLEEP) 44, BEEN DOING COMEDY FOR 43 YEARS!"

THIS (BLEEP) WAS BORN, CAME OUT, "WAAH, KNOCK-KNOCK (BLEEP)!

WITH A CIGARETTE IN HIS HAND AT THE SAME TIME.

THE DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOW.

BEING ON THAT SHOW CHANGED MY LIFE.

BUT ONE CHARACTER IN PARTICULAR, "ASHY LARRY" A LOT OF PEOPLE REMEMBER ME AS ASHY LARRY.

AND WHEN WE DID THAT, DAVE WAS LIKE, "DONNELL, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO PREPARE FOR THE ROLE OF ASHY LARRY?"

I SAID, "I'M GONNA TAKE A SHOWER, NIGGA... AND JUST DRY OFF I'LL BE THE ASHIEST (BLEEP) IN HOLLYWOOD.

DAVE: I'M FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. CHOCOLATE CITY.

FOR US, NIGGA, IS A PRONOUN.

WE HAVE VERY THICK SKIN.

WE DON'T SHY AWAY FROM THE JOKES.

IN FACT, HUMOR WAS OUR MODE OF SURVIVAL.

THE ONLY REASON I NEVER GOT MY ASS WHOPPED ON THESE STREETS IS BECAUSE NIGGA'S KNEW...

I'M HILARIOUS.

I WAS GETTING READY TO START HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD A PRINCIPAL NAMED, RALPH NEAL.

THAT NIGGA HAD JUST SEEN "LEAN ON ME" AND WAS WALKING AROUND WITH A BULL-HORN LIKE THAT WAS HIM.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

I HAD JUST GONE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL IN OHIO, I WAS GONE FOR THREE YEARS.

IN THE THREE YEARS I WAS GONE, CRACK CAME OUT.

I CAME BACK TO WASHINGTON... YOU GUY'S REMEMBER CRACK DON'T YOU?

YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT DID TO THIS CITY.

THAT'S WHY IT'S STRANGE TO SEE SO MANY WHITE PEOPLE JOGGING AND PUSHING STROLLERS AND THINGS, CAUSE ALL THESE NIGGA'S IN D.C. DID ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING.

WE DID THE HARD PART.

THIS IS A BLACK CITY.

THEY CALL IT CHOCOLATE CITY... NOT BECAUSE, (BLEEP) HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHOCOLATE... THAT WAS NIGGA'S.

SARAH: I MET DAVE HERE IN WASHINGTON, DC.

UH, YEAH, I WAS, UH, I WAS 19, HE WAS 17 WE WERE DOING A GIG AT A CLUB CALLED, "GARVIN'S"... AND I REMEMBER DAVE AND I WENT TO MCDONALDS BETWEEN SHOWS AND WE TALKED BOUT COMEDY AND HIS FUTURE; WHAT HIS FUTURE PLANS WERE GONNA BE AND I SAID, "COME TO NEW YORK CITY!"

AND AFTER HE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL...

UH, HE DID AND AND HE CAME TO NEW YORK AND WE WORKED AT THE SAME COMEDY CLUB, THE BOSTON COMEDY CLUB AND UH... [BRIEF APPLAUSE].

ALRIGHT.

I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING, IT WAS A CLUB IN NEW YORK CITY CALLED THE BOSTON COMEDY CLUB.

LOOK, I DON'T COME UP WITH THE NAMES, COKE-HEADS DO.

BUT IN NEW YORK, DAVE WAS IMMEDIATELY BELOVED BY THE STAND UP COMEDY COMMUNITY.

I REMEMBER HE GOT A PART IN A MEL BROOKS MOVIE, "ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS" AND WE WERE ALL LIKE, "DAVE MADE IT!"

DAVE: WHO'S THE MAN, WHO'S THE MAN?

SARAH: BUT HE CAME BACK FROM L.A. AND HE GOT RIGHT ON STAGE TO TALK ABOUT HIS TRIP OUT WEST AND HOW HE FINALLY WENT TO COMPTON AFTER HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT IT AND HE WAS LIKE...

STUNNED TO SEE THAT PEOPLE THERE HAD YARDS.

ALL THE LORE OF COMPTON AND PEOPLE WERE, LIKE, MOWING THEIR LAWNS.

AND, OF COURSE THEY WERE, BUT THERE WAS JUST LIKE, SOMETHING ABOUT THAT TINY LITTLE DETAIL AND THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.

HE, HE LET'S HIMSELF BE SURPRISED BY WHAT HE LEARNS AND THEN HE TAKES US WITH HIM AS HE LOOKS AT IT FROM EVERY ANGLE, YOU KNOW, ANGLES THAT MOST OF US DON'T EVEN SEE.

DAVE: ISN'T IT WEIRD HOW THIS DISEASE JUST STARTS IN 1980 AND IT DOESN'T KILL ANYBODY BUT NIGGAS, FAGS AND JUNKIES?

ISN'T THAT A (BLEEP) AMAZING COINCIDENCE THAT THIS DISEASE HATES EVERYBODY THAT OLD WHITE PEOPLE HATE?

I THINK EITHER GOD IS WHITE OR THE GOVERNMENT HID THAT (BLEEP) IN DISCO BALLS.

SARAH: HE'S ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT STUFF, HE'S EXAMINING EVERYTHING AND HE REALLY, LIKE, HE GET'S IN HIS OWN WORLD.

DAVE: NOW, THIS IS HOW I KNEW I WAS I A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU ONLY SEE THIS IN THE WORST NEIGHBORHOODS.

REMEMBER, IT'S 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

IT'S 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW...

THERE WAS A (BLEEP) BABY STANDING ON THE CORNER.

AND THE BABY DIDN'T EVEN LOOK SCARED!

IT WAS JUST STANDING THERE.

AND IT MADE ME SAD, IT MADE ME SAD REALLY.

CAUSE I WANTED TO HELP THE BABY.

"HMM, I DON'T TRUST YOU EITHER, I'M SORRY, CLICK"!

SARAH: I REMEMBER, UM, WERE WERE TOGETHER IN VANCOUVER AND HE CAME OVER TO SMOKE A JOINT AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.

HE CAME OVER... AND HE SMOKED A JOINT.

THE WHOLE THING, LIKE, BY HIMSELF WHILE PONTIFICATING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH THE WORLD.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE WORLD, A LACK OF SHARING.

IT'S, I THINK IT'S, "PUFF-PUFF-PASS" NOT "PUFF-PUFF-PUFF-PUFF!"

DAVE, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?

YOU'RE GETTING THE FREAKING MARK TWAIN PRIZE!

DAVE: I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

SARAH: YOU DESERVE IT!

IT'S THE RIGHT THING.

IT'S ACTUALLY PERFECT THAT YOU'RE GETTING THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE BECAUSE YOU BOTH LOVE USING THE "N-WORD" IN YOUR MASTERPIECES.

DAVE: HOW IS IT THAT I CAN SAY THE WORD "NIGGER" WITH IMPUNITY...

BUT I CAN'T SAY THE WORD, "FAGGOT"?

AND SHE SAID, "BECAUSE DAVID, YOU ARE NOT GAY."

I SAID, "WELL RENEE, I'M NOT A NIGGER EITHER."

DAVE: THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE IS ALL I EVER NEED.

JON: I LOVE DAVE CHAPPELLE, UNCONDITIONALLY.

I MET DAVE IN, IN THE 90S, THE EARLY 90S, HE WAS A 17 YEAR OLD KID, COMING TO NEW YORK CITY, JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, CUTTING HIS TEETH ON WHAT WERE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST COMEDY ROOMS IN THE COUNTRY, AND HE WAS SHOCKINGLY FORMED AT 17 YEARS OLD.

AND YOU WOULD, OLD GRIZZLED COMEDY VETERANS FROM THERE, YOU WOULD THINK WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING BUT ANGER AT THIS YOUNG PRODIGY, THIS YOUNG MOZART.

AND YET, YOU LOVED HIM BECAUSE OF THE KINDNESS OF HIS SPIRIT, AND...

EVEN BACK THEN, I KNEW HOW HILARIOUS HE WAS AND HOW INSIGHTFUL HE WAS.

I REMEMBER, WE WORKED TOGETHER IN THE 2000'S, WE WERE BOTH AT COMEDY CENTRAL.

I WAS AT "THE DAILY SHOW," DAVE WAS AT "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW" AND, "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW" WAS THIS ROCKET SHIP THAT HE HAD CREATED.

AND IT BECAME THIS CULTURAL PHENOMENON, AND COMEDY CENTRAL WOULD DO ANYTHING TO KEEP IT GOING.

AND THEY OFFERED DAVE $50 MILLION TO JUST GIVE THEM, JUST GIVE THEM ONE MORE, JUST GIVE US ONE MORE.

BUT DAVE AT THAT MOMENT WAS CONFLICTED BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF HOW THE SHOW WAS TO DO, BECAUSE HE WONDERED ABOUT ITS IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE THAT HE MEANT IT FOR, AND HE WALKED AWAY.

AND IT WAS THAT MOMENT THAT I REMEMBER THINKING... "COMEDY CENTRAL HAS $50 MILLION?"

(GROANING) "THESE (BLEEP) WON'T EVEN LET US HAVE SNACKS AT THE DAILY SHOW!"

THEY HAD $50 MILLION.

WELL AT THAT POINT DAVE HE LEFT, HE WAS DONE.

BUT I KNEW, THAT MONEY WAS GOING TO NEED A HOME.

DAVE, I WANT YOU...

I'M SORRY.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW TONIGHT, THAT I RAISED THAT MONEY LIKE IT WAS MY OWN.

MO: THIS MAN IS UNBELIEVABLE.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST HIS STAND-UP AND HOW HE INTERACTS WITH PEOPLE; RANDOM PEOPLE, RANDOM FANS.

WE WERE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA... WHITE KID JUST FREAKS OUT, "OH, MY GOD, DAVE CHAPPELLE!"

HE JUST LOSES HIS (BLEEP) AND I'M LIKE, "HEY MAN, RELAX, RELAX."

YOU KNOW, CAUSE PEOPLE THINK, CAUSE I'M SO BIG I'M HIS SECURITY AND (BLEEP).

I'M LIKE, "RELAX."

HE'S LIKE, "COME ON, MAN.

OH, MY GOD, DAVE CHAPPELLE!

PLEASE COME UP TO MY APARTMENT, I HAVE SOME WEED!"

AND DAVE LOOKED AT ME AND I LOOKED BACK AT HIM; I WAS LIKE, "I AM OUT OF WEED, BRO LETS... AT LEAST CHECK OUT WHAT THIS SITUATION IS.

LET'S SEE WHERE IT TAKES US."

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO, WE GO UP TO HIS APARTMENT.

I GO IN, I SEE THIS GIANT JAR FULL OF WEED JUST LIKE WHITE PEOPLE HAVE AND I TAKE MY NUGGET, I WAS LIKE, "THANK YOU SO MUCH" AND WE WERE ABOUT TO WALK OUT AND THE ENTIRE TIME HE STARTS POUNDING ON HIS ROOMMATES DOOR.

(KNOCKING NOISE) "WAKE UP, BRO!

WE GOT, WE GOT (BLEEP) DAVE CHAPPELLE IN OUR APARTMENT!"

BUT HE WON'T WAKE UP TO SAVE HIS LIFE.

AND WE'RE LEAVING, HE'S LIKE, "PLEASE TAKE A PICTURE.

PLEASE TAKE A PICTURE OF ME" AND DAVE WAS LIKE, "HEY MAN, WE'RE MOVING IN THE NIGHT RIGHT NOW.

FOR SECURITY PURPOSES... WE CAN'T BE DOING IT."

WE START WALKING DOWN HIS STAIRS AND HE'S UP ON THE TOP OF HIS STAIRS HE'S LIKE, "NO ONE IS GONNA BELIEVE ME!"

YOU MURDERED IT!

DAVE: SHOUT OUT TO WASHINGTON, D.C.'S MAYOR, MURIEL BOWSER.

I GOTTA TELL YOU, YOU'RE A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TO ME.

WE'RE ONLY A YEAR APART AND YOU RUN OUR CITY WONDERFULLY.

I WALK TO MY OLD HIGH SCHOOL... MAN, MURIEL ARRANGED A $150 MILLION RENOVATION TO THE DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.

I WAS SO JEALOUS OF THE STUDENTS THERE.

YOU REALLY MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND YOU REALLY DID A BLESSING TO THIS CITY AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, SINCERELY.

I'VE NEVER VOTED IN WASHINGTON, BUT (BLEEP) DAMN IT IF I DID, I'D VOTE FOR YOU.

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT?

IF YOU SMOKED CRACK I'D STILL VOTE FOR YOU.

I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T, BUT IF YOU EVER WANT TO, INDULGE YOURSELF.

YOU GOT THAT KIND OF WIGGLE ROOM WITH ME.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

EDDIE: I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF DAVE CHAPPELLE RIGHT AROUND BEFORE THE FIRST "NUTTY PROFESSOR."

CAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY THAT ROLE THAT HE PLAYED.

AND THEN I KINDA SAW HIM AND I WAS LIKE, "HEY THAT GUY RIGHT THERE, THAT KID, THAT KID WOULD BE FUNNY PLAYING THAT ROLE.

DAVE: I TRIED TO BE PEACEFUL, BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR REGGIE TO KARATIZIE YO ASS!

EDDIE: WHOO!

DAVE IS SO MUCH SMARTER THAN EVERYONE.

LIKE, DAVE IS ONE OF THE MOST; MAYBE THE MOST INTELLECTUAL COMEDIAN EVER.

DAVE: IT TOOK US 400 YEARS TO FIGURE OUT, AS A PEOPLE, THAT WHITE PEOPLE'S WEAKNESS THE WHOLE TIME... WAS KNEELING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

THAT'S A BRITTLE SPIRIT.

THAT'S RIGHT, NIGGA.

ON THE ROCKETS RED GLARE (SCREAMING) "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NIGGER?

STAND UP!"

EDDIE: HE STRETCHED THE ART FORM AND UH, HIS IMPACT ON THE CULTURE, UH, HE IS THE VOICE OF HIS GENERATION.

WITHOUT QUESTION, NOBODY'S EVEN CLOSE TO HIM.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

BRADLEY: WOW.

ALRIGHT, OKAY, OKAY.

MY DAUGHTER'S BACK THERE, AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL DAVE THAT I GOT TO MEET YOU BEFORE I HAD MY DAUGHTER.

NO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

BECAUSE YOU TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A BETTER MAN, YOU TEACH ME HOW TO BE A BETTER MAN.

SO I, I JUST REALIZED IT.

THAT'S HIM, RIGHT.

THAT'S YOUR BOY?

DAVE: JACK, HE'S AS OLD NOW AS YOU WERE WHEN I MET YOU.

SAW YOU ON YOUTUBE, THE VIDEO WITH THE GIRL.

BRADLEY: YEAH.

DAVE: IT MADE ME HAPPY, MAN.

YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU.

YOU WERE JUST, JUST DOING IT, BRO.

BRADLEY: I GOTTA SAY, I'M NOT KIDDING, PROBABLY THE BEST SCENE I'VE EVER DONE WITH ANOTHER ACTOR.

REALLY.

I WROTE IT FOR YOU.

IT TOOK TWO YEARS, BUT YOU GAVE YOUR SOUL TO ME IN THAT DAY, AND THE FACT THAT YOU SHOWED UP, I MEAN I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT, I COULDN'T BELIEVE YOU DID ME THAT FAVOR.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT MAN.

THAT WAS, IT WAS, AND I LOVE THAT IT'S LOCKED, FOREVER ONSCREEN BECAUSE ITS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

AND THE WHOLE SET WAS JUST CRACKLING WITH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE AROUND DAVE CHAPPELLE, THIS BUT THIS IS A VERY, VERY UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.

THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY WAS I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, WHAT WITH THE GENETICS AND GROWING UP IN DC, THE DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL, FIRST DOING STANDUP AT 8 YEARS OLD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMBINATION OCCURRED TO MAKE YOU WHO YOU ARE, BUT I'M JUST SO LUCKY I'M ALIVE AT THE SAME TIME YOU ARE SO I CAN WATCH YOU BE A HUMAN AND AN ARTIST.

AND, AND WE THROW THIS TERM, WE THROW THIS TERM AROUND.

"GENIUS" AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT GENIUS YOU THINK LIKE MAYBE ALOOF, SOCIALLY UNAWARE.

YOU'RE EVEN UNIQUE AS A GENIUS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TRAIT THAT IS, IT'S EMPATHY.

YOU KNOW, YOU TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME.

THAT'S MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU.

SO THANK YOU MY FRIEND.

I'M STILL MAD ABOUT SNL.

IN THE MONOLOGUE YOU DID SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE... DAVE: AND IT WAS A HUGE PARTY AND EVERYBODY IN THERE WAS BLACK EXCEPT FOR BRADLEY COOPER FOR SOME REASON.

BRADLEY: AND YOU SAW A SEA OF FACES, AND THERE WAS ONE WHITE GUY AND IT WAS ME, YOU'RE LIKE "OH BRADLEY COOPER'S HERE", WE WENT TOGETHER (BLEEP) WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!

I LOVE YOU, BRO.

I LOVE YOU.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

ERYKAH: DO I REALLY... WANT MY BABY... DAVE: MOST OF MY FRIENDS ARE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LADDER AND MADE IT TO THE MIDDLE AND THE TOP.

ERYKAH: TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

DAVE: CAUSE WE ALL HAD A LONG TRIP.

ERYKAH: I KNOW YOU GOT TO GET YOUR HUSTLE ON.

SO I PRAY... AND I UNDERSTAND THE GAME, SOMETIMES.

AND I LOVE YOU STRONG.

DAVE: I LOVE GOING BACK.

I'VE BEEN BACK HERE MANY TIMES BUT NOT TO CELEBRATE ME.

BACKGROUND: I CAN'T MAKE IT ON MY OWN.

YOU SEE, SUMMER CAME AROUND AND THE FLOWERS BLOOMED.

HE BECAME THE SUN.

I BECAME THE MOON.

ERYKAH: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

DAVE, I LOVE YOU.

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR YOU CAUSE YOU ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR US.

AND I LOVE YOU STRONG, BUDDY.

LORNE: RICHARD PRYOR WAS THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE TWAIN PRIZE WHEN I STARTED "SNL" HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I ASKED TO HOST.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2016, WITH THE ELECTION LOOMING, THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON WHO I WAS JUST AS DETERMINED TO HAVE.

I KNEW THAT FOR THE NOVEMBER TWELFTH SHOW, AFTER THE ELECTION, IT HAD TO BE DAVE CHAPPELLE.

DAVE: THANK YOU!

LORNE: I KNEW I NEEDED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED.

I, I HAD TO HAVE DAVE FOR THE SAME REASON I HAD TO HAVE RICHARD...

HE'S A TRUTH TELLER AND THE FUNNIEST PERSON WORKING TODAY.

THIS WAS GOING TO BE A BIG MOMENT FOR "SNL" AND FOR HIM.

I KNEW WHEN THE MOMENT CAME, DAVE WOULD BE READY FOR IT.

DAVE: BUT AMERICA'S DONE IT.

WE'VE ACTUALLY, WE'VE ACTUALLY ELECTED AN INTERNET TROLL AS OUR PRESIDENT.

THE WHITE'S ARE FURIOUS.

THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

I HADN'T SEEN WHITE PEOPLE THIS MAD SINCE THE O.J.

VERDICT.

THERE WAS A SPLIT SCREEN WITH WHITE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES.

(SCREAMS).

I'M NOT SAYING I ENJOY IT, I'M JUST SAYING I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.

I WATCHED A WHITE RIOT IN PORTLAND, OREGON ON TELEVISION THE OTHER NIGHT.

LORNE: THAT WEDNESDAY, THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION, WE HAD OUR READ-THROUGH FOR THE SHOW.

THE MOOD WAS PRETTY BLEAK.

PEOPLE WERE FEELING TENSE AND VERY VULNERABLE.

IT WAS A MESS.

DAVE SAT DOWN BESIDE ME, LOOKED AT EVERYONE AND SENSED THE EMOTION IN THE ROOM.

HE ASKED IF HE COULD READ A QUOTE BY TONI MORRISON.

THE QUOTE READ, "THIS IS PRECISELY THE TIME WHEN ARTISTS GO TO WORK.

THERE'S NO TIME FOR DESPAIR, NO PLACE FOR SELF PITY, NO NEED FOR SILENCE, NO ROOM FOR FEAR.

WE SPEAK, WE WRITE, WE DO LANGUAGES.

THIS IS HOW CIVILIZATIONS HEAL."

I KNEW THEN THAT WE'D BE OKAY.

THE SHOW OPENED UP WITH KATE MCKINNON SINGING "HALLELUJAH" AS HILLARY CLINTON AND THEN OUT WALKED DAVE.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.

I LIKE TO THINK HE DID...

BUT I'M NOT EVEN SURE ABOUT THAT.

HE WAS BREATHTAKING, HE WAS BRILLIANT.

IT WAS A LANDMARK SHOW.

DAVE: I'M WISHING DONALD TRUMP LUCK.

AND I'M GONNA GIVE HIM A CHANCE AND WE, THE HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED, DEMAND THAT HE GIVE US ONE TOO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

KENAN: YOUR ABILITY TO SPEAK YOUR MIND REGARDLESS OF HOW ANYBODY FEELS ABOUT IT... THAT FEARLESSNESS TO ENTERTAIN THE WAY THAT YOU WANT TO HAS DEFINITELY PIERCED MY LIFE TO THE POINT WHERE I PLAYED A WEREWOLF CHOREOGRAPHER LAST NIGHT AND I WAS VERY PROUD TO DO IT.

AND I LEARNED ALL OF THAT FROM YOU.

YOU KNOW, I HOLD YOUR FIRST TWO SEASONS OF THE "CHAPPELLE SHOW" UP AGAINST ANY SKETCH COMEDY SHOW, I WOULD SAY, IN HISTORY.

IT'S JUST BRILLIANT.

DAVE: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE FIRST, AND MAYBE ONLY, RACIAL DRAFT IN NEW YORK CITY.

BILL: I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHO'S GONNA BE DRAFTED BY WHICH RACE.

AND THE BLACKS HAVE ACTUALLY WON THE FIRST PICK.

DAVE: WOW, THAT'S THE FIRST LOTTERY A BLACK PERSON'S WON IN A LONG TIME, BILLY.

BILLY: YES, AND THEY'LL PROBABLY STILL COMPLAIN.

DAVE: MAN, (BLEEP) YOU.

MOS DEF: THE BLACK DELEGATION...

CHOOSE TIGER WOODS.

BILL: THE RICHEST AND MOST DOMINANT ATHLETE IN THE WORLD.

NOW IS OFFICIALLY BLACK.

DAVE: SO LONG FRIED RICE, HELLO FRIED CHICKEN!

I LOVE YOU, DAD!

MICHAEL: I HAD NO IDEA YOU HAD SO MANY OLD WHITE FANS.

I FEEL LIKE I DIED AND WENT TO BROOKS BROTHERS, BUT...

I THINK HONESTY GET'S THROWN AROUND A LOT.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HONESTY IN COMEDY, BUT A LOT OF GREAT COMEDIANS DON'T ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH.

I MEAN, RODNEY DANGERFIELD, I LOOKED IT UP, WAS ACTUALLY VERY WELL RESPECTED.

HE LIED THE WHOLE TIME.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HONESTY, WE TALK ABOUT NOT BEING AFRAID TO TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW WE FEEL BECAUSE THAT'S THE CONNECTION THAT COMEDIANS CAN HAVE WITH PEOPLE AND I THINK NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN YOU, EVER.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE LEARN FROM BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE A PART OF THE JOKE.

DAVE MAKES IT...

HE'S WILLING TO MAKE FUN OF EVERYBODY WHETHER YOU'RE WHITE OR GAY, END OF LIST.

HE'S... [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

DAVE: EVERYBODY LOVES ME AND I LOVE EVERYBODY.

I GOT FRIENDS WHO ARE "L'S", I GOT FRIENDS WHO ARE "B'S" AND I GOT FRIENDS WHO ARE "G'S" BUT THE "T'S" HATE MY (BLEEP) GUTS.

AND I DON'T BLAME 'EM.

IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT, IT'S MINE.

I CAN'T STOP TELLING JOKES ABOUT THESE NIGGA'S.

I DON'T WANT TO WRITE THESE JOKES, BUT I JUST CAN'T STOP!

MICHAEL: IT'S WEIRD FOR ME TO EVEN TALK TO YOU ABOUT COMEDY, CAUSE YOU CAN TELL EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT COMEDY.

BUT THERE'S ONE THING THAT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW ABOUT COMEDY AND THAT'S DOING COMEDY WITH A DAVE CHAPPELLE TO LOOK UP TO.

SO, I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALRIGHT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

COLIN: AND I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE MARK TWAIN.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

TO ME THAT'S COMEDY.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, THAT MARK TWAIN IS HILARIOUS, I WOULD LIKE TO READ JUST A BRIEF PASSAGE FROM "HUCKLEBERRY FINN".

KEENAN: OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

TIGHTEN UP.

COLIN: "HUCK FINN TURNED TO HIS FRIEND JIM, OR AS WE CALLED HIM... YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE PASSAGE.

KEENAN: Y'ALL SEE THAT?

SARAH: ARE WE GONNA MAKE LOVE TONIGHT?

AS FRIENDS!

TIFFANY: OH, YOU SMELL DELICIOUS.

CAUSE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I'M LIKE A VERY EMOTIONAL PERSON.

I'M GOING TO CRY FOR YOU.

DAVE: I SWEAR TO GOD I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ART FORM PURER THAN STAND UP COMEDY.

IT PUZZLES ME THAT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED IF THIS IS AN ART OR NOT.

MAN, TALKING (BLEEP) IS AN ART.

TALKING (BLEEP) IS AN ART.

AIN'T THAT RIGHT, MURIEL?

TO ALL THE STAND UP COMICS IN THE ROOM, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU...

I PROMISE YOU AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID IT, WE HAVE THE BEST GENRE; WE DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING BUT WHAT WE KNOW AND EVERYTHING WE KNOW IS VALUABLE BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO WITH IT.

STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF.

(BLEEP) THE GAME, THE MONEY WILL COME.

MOST OF YOU WON'T MAKE IT.

GONNA BE HONEST.

I HEARD AN INTERVIEW WITH PATTON OSWALD, FAMOUS COMEDIAN STARTED ONE WEEK APART FROM ME.

PATTON SAYS IN AN INTERVIEW WITH TERRY GROSS.

YOU KNOW HOW TERRY GOES, "AND, YES..." PATTON SAID TO TERRY GROSS, HE SAID, "TERRY, NOBODY DOES GOOD THEIR FIRST TIME DOING STAND UP."

THEY STOPPED, I WAS DRIVING IN THE CAR LISTENING TO THIS INTERVIEW AND HE GOES, "OKAY, DAVE CHAPPELLE DID GOOD HIS FIRST TIME DOING STAND UP."

I HAD A SMILE FROM EAR TO EAR.

WHAT PATTON DIDN'T TELL TERRY IS THE NEXT 7 OR 8 TIMES... (BLEEP) TERRIBLE.

BUT THE FIRST TIME WAS SO (BLEEP) GOOD.

IT'D BE LIKE THE FIRST TIME YOU HAD SEX AND THEN THE SECOND TIME YOU WERE HAVING SEX SOMEBODY HIT YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER.

GOD, THIS IS NOT NEARLY AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYBE SOMEONE WONT HIT ME IN THE HEAD WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER THE 9TH OR 10TH TIME.

DAVE: I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE IN POLITICS, BUT I THINK THE TRUST IN POLITICS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTRY DESPERATELY NEEDS.

REPORTER: PRESIDENT BUSH CONTINUES TO MAKE HIS CASE FOR AN INVASION OF IRAQ.

DAVE: AFTER CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE REGION, ME AND MY CABINET AGREE THAT THAT AREA IS DEFINITELY RIPE FOR REGIME CHANGE.

DONNELL: ALRIGHT.

DAVE: THAT NIGGA TRIED TO KILL MY FATHER!

MAN, LINCOLN IS (BLEEP) UP.

DAMN, TRUMAN IS (BLEEP) UP.

MAN, CARTER IS (BLEEP) UP.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S THE WORST OF THE WORST.

YES, I SAID IT.

"WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT.

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL."

GO GET ME A SANDWICH, NIGGER OR I'LL KILL YA.

"LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL" I WATCHED DONALD TRUMP IN A PRESS CONFERENCE... "I AM GOING TO BRING BACK COAL!"

COAL?!

I'M NOT EVEN EXAGGERATING.

I HAVE NEVER, IN MY LIFE EVEN SEEN A (BLEEP) LUMP OF COAL!

IF YOU GONNA HAVE (BLEEP) DIGGING AROUND IN THE DIRT LOOKING FOR (BLEEP)... FIND ME SOME TRUFFLES, NIGGA.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT.

THIS IS A (BLEEP) ELECTION YEAR, WE GOTTA BE SERIOUS.

EVERY ABLE BODIED AFRICAN AMERICAN MUST REGISTER... FOR A LEGAL FIREARM.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY'LL CHANGE THE LAW.

ALTHOUGH AMERICA'S THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD, WE STILL FACE MANY MODERN PROBLEMS.

HEALTH CARE IS IN SHAMBLES.

MEDICAID DOESN'T WORK.

MEANWHILE, OUR NEIGHBORS IN CANADA HAVE FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL THEIR CITIZENS.

SO, WHAT AM I SUGGESTING?

FAKE CANADIAN I.D.

CARDS FOR ALL AMERICANS.

I'M DAVE CHAPPELLE AND I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU.

NEAL: PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY TO ME "MAN, 'CHAPPELLE'S SHOW' LOOKED LIKE A BLAST, WAS IT FUN?"

IT WASN'T!

IT WASN'T FUN AT ALL, IT WAS HARD.

WE'D HAVE TO STAY AWAKE FOR 48 HOURS AT A TIME JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE SCHEDULE.

WE WERE BOMBED-OUT AND DEPLETED.

WE WERE LUMPED UP.

WE BOTH HAD ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION.

I TOLD DAVE ABOUT MINE AND HE SAID, "IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE USING LAPTOPS TOO MUCH, MAN".

AND THEN, AND THEN HE GOES, "PLUS WE'RE NOT AS YOUNG AS WE USED TO BE" MEANWHILE, THERE'S NO CAUSAL LINK BETWEEN LAPTOP USE AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AND ALSO, WE WERE 29.

DAVE CHAPPELLE COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED MY LIFE.

HE LENT ME $1,000 SO I COULD MOVE TO L.A.

HE ASKED ME TO WRITE A MOVIE WITH HIM WHEN I HAD ZERO EXPERIENCE.

DAVE CHAPPELLE BELIEVED IN ME AT A TIME WHEN ABSOLUTELY NOBODY DID.

YOU KNOW HOW WE ALL HAVE A FRIEND WHO WILL HIT US UP OUT OF THE BLUE SOMETIMES WITH SOMETHING FUNNY?

IMAGINE WHAT HIS TEXTS AND PHONE CALLS ARE LIKE.

ONE TIME HE CALLED ME ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON, AND HE GOES "HEY MAN, I JUST FINISHED WATCHING '12 YEARS A SLAVE', ANYHOW DO YOU THINK SLAVES EVER WHIPPED THEIR KIDS?"

ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON!

IN CLOSING, IF YOU REMEMBER ONLY ONE THING FROM MY SPEECH TONIGHT, I HOPE THAT IT'S "CHAPPELLE'S SHOW" WAS NOT FUN.

BUT IT WAS GREAT AND IT WILL BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT GUY RIGHT THERE.

DAVE: WELL THIS HAS BEEN (BLEEP) WONDERFUL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, MAN.

I DON'T EVEN WANT THIS NIGHT TO END.

I PROMISE YOU, WHOEVER CARES THE MOST, I CARE AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THEM.

I KNOW WHAT I GOT, CAUSE I LOST IT ALL.

I GOTTA TELL YOU SOMETHING, AND I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT OFTEN.

HAVE YOU EVER WORKED ALL YOUR LIFE FOR SOMETHING AND HAVE IT NOT WORK OUT?

THAT HAPPENED TO ME.

IT WAS TOUGH, THINK ABOUT IT.

I WAS GONE FOR 12 YEARS, THAT'S NOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

IT WAS HELL.

I'D WATCH OTHER NIGGA'S THAT I KNEW BECOME VERY FAMOUS, I WATCHED THE WORLD GO ON WITHOUT ME.

I MOURNED THE LOSS OF IT AND AFTER A WHILE...

I DIDN'T CARE.

COMING BACK WAS TERRIFYING.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM, I REALLY DO.

MORE THAN ANYBODY, LIKE WHEN THEY WRITE ABOUT ME IN HISTORY I'LL BE DEAD READING IT, LIKE, "YEAH I KNEW THEY'D SAY THAT."

THEY SAY THAT A PERSON CAN'T DREAM OF A FACE THEY'VE NEVER SEEN.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY TRUE.

BOY, I GOT A LONG BANK OF FACES.

32 YEARS I CAN CLOSE MY EYES AND CAN THINK OF ANY NIGHT.

THERE'S SO MANY FACES.

EVERY NIGHT, MOST NIGHT'S THEY'RE ALL LOOKING UP...

SMILING.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE FROM THERE.

ALL DIFFERENT RACES, ALL DIFFERENT COLORS, ALL DIFFERENT KIND OF BELIEFS JUST LOOKING AT ME SMILING FOR 32 YEARS, NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.

LET NO COMEDIAN TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.

I SWEAR TO GOD, THIS MIGHT BE THE NOBLEST OF PROFESSIONS.

ROBIN WILLIAMS HAD A BARB THAT I LOVED.

HE SAID, "COMEDY IS THE ONLY JOB YOU CAN HAVE WHERE YOU CAN USE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW."

AND THAT'S TRUE.

YOU CAN USE MORE THAN YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE WHAT YOU THINK.

USE IT.

DON'T BE AFRAID, DON'T LET THESE BITCH (BLEEP) NIGGA'S BUTTON YOUR LIP.

SAY IT ANYWAY.

SARAH: IF YOU'RE AT HOME WATCHING, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED TWITTER YET TO SEE HOW YOU FEEL... UM, YOU CAN... [AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

NO, IT'S OKAY, TRUST ME, I ALREADY LOOKED.

YOU THINK IT'S DELIGHTFULLY REFRESHING.

ALRIGHT, HERE'S THE THING ABOUT DAVE.

DAVE DIDN'T, LIKE, GET FUNNY EVENTUALLY...

HE WAS ALWAYS FUNNY.

AND HE REMAINS AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME.

WHY?

BECAUSE HE'S CONSTANTLY EVOLVING, HE GROWS.

OR SOMETIMES IT'S A SLIGHTLY MORE LATERAL MOVE BUT...

ALWAYS WITH SOME KIND OF NEW PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW?

HIS CRITICAL THINKING IS HIS ART.

HIS STAND UP BLOWS MY MIND, YOU KNOW.

IT CHANGES THE WAY I THINK AND SOMETIMES I WHOLEHEARTEDLY DISAGREE WITH HIM BUT THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT DAVE.

IT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ART.

DAVE: THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW WHERE THE LINE IS, IS TO CROSS IT.

AND I THINK, "WHAT IS LIFE IF NOBODY'S CROSSING THE LINE?"

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAN THE (BLEEP) UP OR YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH THE END OF THIS SHOW.

JUST MAN THE (BLEEP) UP.

JUST BECAUSE I'M DRESSED THIS WAY DOES NOT... MAKE ME A WHORE.

NOW THAT WOULD BE LIKE ME, DAVE CHAPPELLE THE COMEDIAN, WALKING AROUND THE STREETS IN A COP UNIFORM.

SOMEBODY MIGHT RUN UP ON ME.

"OH, THANK GOD, OFFICER HELP US.

COME ON, THEY'RE OVER HERE, HELP US!

I'D BE LIKE, "OH, JUST BECAUSE I'M DRESSED THIS WAY; DOES NOT MAKE ME A POLICE OFFICER.

I'M, WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE STREETS, AS A VICTIM BLAMER.

"DAVE, MICHAEL JACKSON WAS MOLESTING CHILDREN."

WELL WHAT WERE THOSE KIDS WEARING AT THE TIME?

THE ONLY REASON EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT TRANSGENDERS, IS BECAUSE WHITE MEN WANT TO DO IT.

THAT'S RIGHT, I JUST SAID THAT.

IF IT WAS JUST WOMEN THAT FELT THAT WAY, OR BLACK DUDES OR MEXICAN DUDES BEING LIKE, "HEY Y'ALL WE FEEL LIKE GIRLS INSIDE."

THEY'D BE LIKE, "SHUT UP, NIGGER.

NO ONE ASKED YOU HOW YOU FELT."

COME ON, EVERYBODY WE HAVE STRAWBERRIES TO PICK.

IT REEKS OF WHITE PRIVILEGE YOU NEVER ASKED YOURSELF WHY IT WAS EASIER FOR BRUCE JENNER TO CHANGE HIS GENDER THAN IT WAS FOR CASSIUS CLAY TO CHANGE HIS (BLEEP) NAME?

EVERYBODY GET'S MAD CAUSE I SAY THESE JOKES.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO SAY EM.

MORE NOW THAN EVER YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK RECKLESSLY.

OTHERWISE MY KIDS MAY NOT KNOW WHAT RECKLESS TALK SOUNDS LIKE.

THE JOYS OF BEING WRONG.

I DIDN'T COME HERE TO BE RIGHT.

I JUST CAME HERE TO (BLEEP) AROUND.

JON: THE COURAGE THAT IT TAKES AS A PERFORMER AND AN ARTIST, TO STAND UP FOR WHO YOU KNOW YOU ARE, TO TAKE A CHANCE ON YOURSELF.

IS, IS JUST ONE MORE REASON WHY WE ALL JUST LOVE, AND RESPECT, AND ADMIRE THIS MAN.

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS UNTIL WE STARTED TOURING A COUPLE YEARS AGO TOGETHER THAT I REALLY GOT A CHANCE TO WATCH HIM WALK THROUGH LIFE.

I ALWAYS IMAGINED HIM ON A TRACTOR, YOU KNOW, OUT IN OHIO, LISTENING TO PRINCE.

UM, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS DAVE OBVIOUSLY, I JUST IMAGINED THAT PRINCE WAS THERE.

BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HOW DAVE'S LIFE WAS.

THINGS HAPPEN IN DAVE WORLD THAT JUST DON'T HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE.

IN FACT, THE LAST TIME, THIS WAS IN 2008 I THINK, AND I WAS IN D.C.

IN THE BACK OF UH, THIS LITTLE RESTAURANT WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT I RECOGNIZED AS, AS DAVE CHAPPELLE.

AND I THOUGHT "WHY IS DAVE CHAPPELLE HERE?"

I SAID, DAVE, I HADN'T SEEN HIM IN A LONG TIME, HOW ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING AND WE, WE CAUGHT UP AND I SAID "YOU KNOW DAVE, I'M DOWN HERE I'M ACTUALLY RUNNING OVER TO WALTER REED," IT WAS IN THE HEIGHT OF THE IRAQ WAR, AND I WAS GONNA RUN DOWN TO WALTER REED AND I HAD A STACK OF "CHAPPELLE SHOW" DVDS THAT I WOULD BRING WITH ME, BECAUSE THEY LOVED THOSE.

AND THE DAILY SHOW, EH!

SO I HAVE THESE UH, "CHAPPELLE SHOW" DVD'S AND I SAY TO DAVE, "DAVE, I'M GONNA HEAD DOWN, AND I'M GONNA SEE THESE GUYS, THESE WOUNDED WARRIORS AND I HAVE YOUR DVD'S, WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW, WHAT DO YOU SAY?"

YOU KNOW, HE'S SPONTANEOUS GUY.

"LET'S GO, LET'S REALLY BLOW THEIR MINDS" AND HE LOOKS AT ME AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT, HE LOOKS UP AND HE GOES, "NAH I'M GOOD".

I RESPECTED THAT SO MUCH.

I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO CARES MORE DEEPLY, AND ANYONE WHO GIVES LESS OF A (BLEEP).

DAVE IS A TOUCHSTONE, BECAUSE HE'S A SEEKER OF KNOWLEDGE.

HE'S A MAN THAT SEEKS OUT PEOPLE, AND EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE.

AND HE WANTS TO TOUCH IT AND FEEL IT AND BE WITH IT ON THE GROUND SO THAT HE CAN THEN CHANNEL THAT THROUGH HIS ART AND REDIRECT THAT BACK TO YOU AS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND NEW.

I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THIS, THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT CAN SAY "HEY MAN I NEED YOU" AND I WILL BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER WHERE, AND WHEN HE CALLED ME JUST RECENTLY AND SAID "I NEED YOU", A WEEK LATER I STOOD WITH DAVE, ON A STAGE, IN DAYTON OHIO, 100 FEET FROM THE SITE OF ONE OF THE WORST MASS SHOOTINGS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND I WATCHED THIS MAN.

HELP A CITY HEAL A WOUND BORNE OF VIOLENCE AND BORNE OF PAIN...

BUT AS WE SAT AND WE WATCHED STEVIE WONDER SING "MY CHERIE AMOUR," AND THE CROWD GOING CRAZY AND RECLAIMING THEIR CITY, HE TURNED TO ME ON STAGE AND HE SAID, "THIS IS THEIR MEMORY NOW.

THIS IS THEIR MEMORY."

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

JOHN: WAKE UP EVERYBODY NO MORE SLEEPIN' IN BED.

NO MORE BACKWARD THINKIN' TIME FOR THINKIN' AHEAD.

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SO VERY MUCH.

FROM WHAT IT USED TO BE.

THERE IS SO MUCH HATRED WAR AND POVERTY.

OH... DAVE: I SAY THIS EVERY TIME I COME TO ELLINGTON AND I HOPE YOU GUYS REMEMBER THIS.

YOU ARE VERY NECESSARY NOW.

THIS IS A SEASON FOR ARTISTS.

SECRETLY, I'M BUILDING AN ARMY OF ARTISTS I WANT ALL OF YOU GUYS TO GET OUT THERE AND FIGHT IN THE ARMY.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT A VIOLENT FIGHT, BUT IT'S A REVEALING ONE.

YOU'VE GOTTA REVEAL PEOPLE TO THEMSELVES BY EXPOSING YOURSELF WITH YOUR ART.

JOHN: THE WORLD WON'T GET NO BETTER IF WE JUST LET IT BE.

OH.

THE WORLD WON'T GET NO BETTER WE GOTTA CHANGE IT YEAH, JUST YOU AND ME.

DAVE: HONESTLY, LOOKING AT Y'ALL INSPIRES ME.

I FEEL LIKE I WAS JUST YOU.

IF I COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO MYSELF, I WOULD TELL MYSELF WHAT I'M TELLING YOU GUYS.

BE NICE AND DON'T BE SCARED.

[MUSIC ENDS].

JOHN: THANK YOU.

DAVID: THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE WAS CREATED IN HONOR OF A GREAT SATIRIST AND IRREVERENT OBSERVER OF THE WORLD IN WHICH HE LIVED...

IN HONORING DAVE CHAPPELLE THIS EVENING WITH THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE, WE ARE HONORING A COMEDIAN AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME, SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT BEHIND HIM BUT PROMISES TO HAVE ANOTHER LIFETIME IN THE COMING DECADES.

AND FOR THESE REASONS, THE KENNEDY CENTER IS PROUD TO PRESENT DAVE CHAPPELLE WITH THE NATION'S HIGHEST COMEDIC AWARD...

THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

DAVE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

I LIKE NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

I LIKE MAKING MEMORIES.

SOMETIMES I DO ALL THIS CRAZY (BLEEP) AROUND MY COLLEAGUES JUST SO THEY CAN TELL THEIR FRIENDS I DID IT.

BUT RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT MYSELF, JUST BRIEFLY I WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT MY GENRE.

STAND UP COMEDY IS AN INCREDIBLY AMERICAN GENRE.

I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER COUNTRY COULD PRODUCE THIS MANY COMEDIANS.

AND UNBEKNOWNST TO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN OPINION THAT EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT IS NOT REPRESENTED IN A COMEDY CLUB BY SOMEBODY.

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS A CHAMPION IN THE ROOM.

WE WATCH YOU GUYS FIGHT, BUT WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER WE TALK IT OUT.

I KNOW COMICS THAT ARE VERY RACIST.

AND I WATCH THEM ONSTAGE AND EVERYONE'S LAUGHING AND I'M LIKE "MMM, THAT (BLEEP) MEANS THAT (BLEEP)".

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

DON'T GET MAD AT EM, DON'T HATE EM, WE GO UPSTAIRS AND HAVE A BEER, AND SOMETIMES I EVEN APPRECIATE THE ARTISTRY THAT THEY PAINT THEIR RACIST OPINIONS WITH.

MAN, IT'S NOT THAT SERIOUS.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS FIRST FOR A REASON.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS JUST IN CASE THE FIRST ONE DOESN'T WORK OUT.

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

WE GOTTA LET SOME AIR OUT THE BALL, MAN.

THE COUNTRY'S GETTING A LITTLE TIGHT, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S EVER FELT IN MY LIFETIME.

SO TONIGHT, I AM HONORED THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE, IN COMEDY AND IN MUSIC.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND I WANT EVERYONE IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME SMOKING INDOORS.

I DIDN'T ASK ANYBODY, I JUST DID IT.

WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO, KICK ME OUT BEFORE I GET THE PRIZE?

NAW NIGGA, THIS IS CALLED LEVERAGE.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

THING THAT I LIKED BEST ABOUT TONIGHT WAS THAT I SAW SO MANY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF MY LIFE.

LIKE FRIENDS THAT I GREW UP WITH HERE IN DC, FRIENDS OF MINE FROM OHIO THEN AND NOW.

FRIENDS OF MINE FROM COMEDY CLUBS.

ALL THE (BLEEP) MUSICIANS THAT BLEW MY MIND.

YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU INSPIRE ME.

I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO MY OG TONY WOODS.

MILES DAVIS HAS A QUOTE.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

UH, IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE, MILES DAVIS SAID SO MUCH COOL (BLEEP) BUT ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID THAT I ALWAYS LOVED, HE SAID, "IT TOOK ME YEARS TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY LIKE MYSELF."

YOU KNOW, HE WOULD WATCH OTHER MUSICIANS AND HE WOULD TRY TO PLAY LIKE DIZZY OR BIRD OR ALL THOSE OTHER GUYS WHO WERE GREAT, TONY WOODS WAS MY DIZZY AND BIRD, IF I WAS A MILES.

I WAS TRYING TO PLAY LIKE YOU, YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON I EVER SAW DO IT ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

YOU WERE FEARLESS AND YOU TOLD THE TRUTH.

THERE'S SOMETHING SO TRUE ABOUT THIS GENRE, WHEN DONE CORRECTLY, THAT I WILL FIGHT ANYBODY THAT GETS IN A TRUE PRACTITIONER OF THIS ART FORM'S WAY.

BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE WRONG.

THIS IS THE TRUTH, AND YOU ARE OBSTRUCTING IT.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CONTENT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ART FORM.

DO WE UNDERSTAND?

DO WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT?

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

AND WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY TONIGHT, AND I'M GLAD I GET THE PLATFORM TO DO IT, I'M GAY!

I AM GAY AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS DOES FOR MY CAREER, BEING GAY LIKE THIS.

SO MANY SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS.

ONE OF THE MAIN ARCHITECTS OF THE COMEBACK OF THE CENTURY, MY BROTHER AND MY MENTOR, THE MIGHTY STAN LATHAN.

I NEVER DREAMED I WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SOMEONE AS GREAT AS YOU.

THESE LAST FIVE SPECIALS, STRAIGHT FIRE.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANOTHER SPECIAL WITH ANYBODY ELSE BUT YOU.

SO EAT YOUR (BLEEP) VEGETABLES AND LIVE AS LONG AS YOU CAN, CAUSE WE DOING A FEW MORE OF THESE BITCHES.

NEIL BRENNAN, YOUR SPEECH MADE ME CRY.

BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF ALL THOSE HARD DAYS OF WORK, AND ALL THAT MONEY I NEVER GOT FOR IT.

THE OTHER REAL SPECIAL SHOUTOUT I GOT TO MAKE, BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE ON ANY LEVEL WITHOUT THIS PERSON, IS MY MOTHER.

MOM.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

MY MOTHER.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I PUT THIS WOMAN THROUGH.

IF YOU HAD JUST GIVEN BIRTH TO ME, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU RAISED ME AND RAISED ME WELL.

WE HAD A REAL ORAL TRADITION IN OUR HOUSE, I KNEW THE WORD GRIOT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY.

A GRIOT WAS A PERSON IN AFRICA WHO WAS CHARGED WITH KEEPING THE STORIES OF THE VILLAGE.

EVERYONE WOULD TELL GRIOT THE STORIES, AND THEY WOULD REMEMBER THEM SO THEY COULD TELL FUTURE GENERATIONS.

AND WHEN THEY GOT OLD, THEY'D TELL EM TO SOMEONE ELSE, AND THEY SAY IN AFRICA, WHEN A GRIOT DIES, IT'S LIKE A LIBRARY WAS BURNT DOWN.

AND MY MOTHER USED TO TELL ME, BEFORE I EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING COMEDY, SHE TOLD ME "YOU SHOULD BE A GRIOT" AND SHE'D FILL ME WITH EVERY STORY OF BLACK LIFE.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S EDUCATED IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES, AND SHE WOULD LET ME UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT THAT I WAS BEING RAISED IN.

THAT I'M BEING RAISED IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT THAT I HAVE TO TAME.

BY THE TIME I WAS 14 YEARS OLD I WAS IN NIGHTCLUBS, MASTERING AN ADULT WORLD.

IT WAS TERRIFYING.

CRACK EPIDEMIC WAS GOING ON, AND MY MOTHER WOULD HEAR GUNSHOTS OUTSIDE AND BE SCARED TO DEATH, MAYBE IT'S MY SON.

BUT EARLY IN MY CAREER, IF YOU REMEMBER MOM, YOU USED TO SIT IN THE CLUB WITH ME.

SHE'D DO A FULL DAY OF WORK, YOU'D BE BACK THERE, FALLING ASLEEP, JUST WAITING FOR ME TO GO ON.

SHE WOULD WATCH MY SHOW EVERY NIGHT, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT CAR RIDE IS HOME?

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD YOUR MOTHER SAY, "(BLEEP) JOKES WERE A LITTLE TOO MUCH TONIGHT, SON"?

[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER].

I WAS A SOFT KID.

I WAS SENSITIVE, I CRIED EASY, AND I WOULD BE SCARED TO FISTFIGHT.

AND MY MOTHER USED TO TELL ME THIS THING, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT YOU SAID THIS TO ME MORE THAN ONCE.

YOU SAID, "SON, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE A LION SO YOU CAN BE THE LAMB YOU REALLY ARE".

I TALK THIS (BLEEP) LIKE A LION, I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANY OF YOU WHEN IT COMES WORD TO WORD, I WILL GAB WITH THE BEST OF THEM.

JUST SO I CAN CHILL AND BE ME.

AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE MY ART FORM, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND EVERY PRACTITIONER OF IT.

WHETHER I AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT, I KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

THEY WANNA BE HEARD, THEY GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, THERE'S SOMETHING THEY NOTICE, THEY JUST WANNA BE UNDERSTOOD.

I LOVE THIS GENRE.

IT SAVED MY LIFE.

SO TONIGHT MA, I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR YOU IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY THAT I CANNOT DO ON MY OWN.

BUT BECAUSE NOW I'M A MAN, WITH GREAT AND INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY MAN THUNDERCAT TO COME OUT ONSTAGE.

THUNDERCAT, THE MIGHTY MOS DEF.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

WASHINGTON DC, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME A HOME AND A PLACE TO START.

TODAY IS OFFICIALLY DAVE CHAPPELLE DAY IN WASHINGTON D.C., THE MAYOR DECLARED IT LAST NIGHT.

SO, IN THE FUTURE, ON DAVE CHAPPELLE DAY I ASK EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO CELEBRATE IT TO MAKE ONE INCREDIBLE MEMORY FOR THEM SELF AND/OR SOMEBODY ELSE.

THANK YOU VER MUCH, GOODNIGHT.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUSE].

MOS DEF: TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME.

FOR YOU OR ME, LIFE IS NOT PROMISED.

TOMORROW MAY NEVER SHOW UP.

FOR YOU OR ME, THIS LIFE IS NOT PROMISED.

I AIN'T NO PERFECT MAN, I'M TRYING TO DO, THE BEST THAT I CAN WITH WHAT IT IS I HAVE.

I AIN'T NO PERFECT MAN I'M TRYING TO DO, THE BEST THAT I CAN WITH WHAT IT IS I HAVE.

PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO IT Y'ALL.

THANK YOU BROTHER DAVE.

MY UMI SAID SHINE YOUR LIGHT ON THE WORLD.

NARRATOR: WATCH THE SHOW ONLINE, ENJOY EXCLUSIVE WEB CONTENT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MARK TWAIN PRIZE AND PAST WINNERS BY VISITING pbs.org/twainprize AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER WITH #pbstwain MOS DEF: I WANT MY PEOPLE TO BE FREE, TO BE FREE, TO BE FREE.

DAVE: THE MOTHER OF MY CHILDREN, WHO HELPS ME AND EMPOWERS ME TO DO EVERYTHING I DO.

ELAINE, THANK GOD FOR YOU.

NARRATOR: CORPORATE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY... CAPITAL ONE.

PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOR AND PROUD UNDERWRITER OF THIS YEARS TELECAST.

CELEBRATING THE LEGACY AND COMEDIC GENIUS OF THE GREAT, DAVE CHAPPELLE.

AMERICAN AIRLINES AND AMERICAN EAGLE.

OFFER AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY 6,700 FLIGHTS PER DAY TO NEARLY 350 DESTINATIONS IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.