How Dave Chappelle Fights the Culture War From the Stage
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In the packed sports arenas that Dave Chappelle performed in around the country this year, his stage was situated at the center of the floor so he was surrounded on all sides by his people.
“Here we are to laugh at the stuff we’re not supposed to laugh at anymore,” said Elizabeth Harborth, one of roughly 17,000 who turned out for Chappelle on a Wednesday night last July in San Antonio. A 45-year-old truck driver, she came with her daughters, both Chappelle fans in their 20s.
Followers like these have fueled Chappelle’s live shows. He brought in more money in ticket sales than any comedy act in the last touring year tracked by Pollstar, ending in mid November. He grossed $62 million for 31 ticketed shows in 2023, not including several co-headlining shows with Chris Rock and events with receipts not reported to Pollstar.
Chappelle is one of the most popular comics of the 21st century, but in recent years he has also become the most polarizing.
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