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Just give us one more [season]!
And he walked away.
And it was at that moment that I remember thinking:Comedy Central has 50 million dollars?
But the best tribute of the night belonged toNeal Brennan, Chappelles longtime writing partner and co-creator ofChappelles Show.
Here are some excerpts from the speech.
I was like, What weed movie?
Dave said, Dont worry about it.
Looking back, it made sense that the origins of a weed movie sound pretty much like youd imagine.
And I was like, Yes?
And they were like, When can you pitch it to us?
And I was like, In 30 days time.
So we had a month to work the pitch out.
Finally, on day 29, I called Dave.
Im like, Dude, we got to work this weed movie out.
And he goes, What weed movie?
It was a critical and commercial flop, and quite frankly, wasnt very good.
And he says to me, Hey, man.
We should do a TV show likePlayboy After Dark.
Now if you remember whatPlayboy After Darkwas, get your affairs in order because youre on deaths door.
Imagine Jeffrey Epstein with a grotto.
Anyway, Daves idea was what would come to beChappelles Show.We went around pitching to a few networks.
HBO didnt go great.
See, back then there could only be one popular black comedian at a time.
Unlike today, when there can be three.
We trudged up Sixth Avenue in the New York summer heat on the way to our next pitch.
I remember looking over at Dave and feeling crazy.
Do you remember that?
So then, a few minutes later, we pitched at Comedy Central and they bought it.
Like, absurdly well.
Like, so well, you gotta go to Africa well.
When we started the show, I knew Dave was the funniest person Id ever met.
By the end of the show, I knew Dave was one of the funniest people whod ever lived.
I think he even surprised himself with how funny he was.
I have to say, saying white power in this room didnt sit right with me.
Tyrone Biggumssspeech to the kids about doing drugs with Mickey Mouse: totally made up.
And thats just the first two episodes of the show.
He made it all up.
Also, the show was personal.
Scores were settled, axes got ground, even toward me.
And he gets to me and he dumps trash on my head.
[Chappelle stands up and shouts something to Brennan.]
He claims that I actually wrote that line and told him to say it.
Which is the only time this entire evening that Ill be receiving credit forChappelles Show.Its not my night.
So, you know:Playboy After Dark.
