I support anyone's right to be who they want to be. My question is: to what extent do I have to participate in your self-image? Dave Chappelle More Quotes by Dave Chappelle More Quotes From Dave Chappelle Jerry Seinfeld, he was doing Letterman show all the time, so he kind of had an excuse, that people know the jokes already. He didn't have time to do stand-up. A guy like me, I have no excuses. Dave Chappelle guy kind people You get sick of jokes, you know. Either I do them on TV, and then you worry, like, "Oh, everyone's gonna see it," so you chuck it, or you just get sick of saying it. After a while, a joke, if you say it too much, just becomes contrived, or fake-sounding. Dave Chappelle chuck sick worry At the time, I was reading this Miles Davis book, and he was talking about coming to New York right after he was in high school. It kind of made me feel like, "Yeah." I didn't want to go to college; I wanted to do stand-up. And I figured, "What's the point of doing stand-up around DC? I'm always going to be under-appreciated there because I started there." I felt like I was strong enough and unique enough that I should give it a big leash to shine. New York was the best thing that ever happened to me as a comedian. Dave Chappelle strong reading book All white people talk about when they get high is other times that they got high. Dave Chappelle getting-high white people I felt in a lot of instances I was deliberately being put through stress because when you're a guy who generates money, people have a vested interest in controlling you. Dave Chappelle stress guy people The language you are about to hear... is disturbing. Dave Chappelle disturbing language Money is the fuel for choices. Money gives me choices, so it's not nothing, it's something. But it's not the end all, be all. There are other things in my life that I did not purchase with money that are very valuable. Dave Chappelle suicidal suicide giving You've got to say 'yes' to your destiny. Life's happening right now, look around you. There goes some life. Come on, Mamma, live! Dave Chappelle destiny meaningful looks Comedians by and large are some of the most sensitive people on earth. Even if they're socially callous. Dave Chappelle comedian earth people When I'm on stage, I get real happy there. Maybe that's the only time in my adult life I feel like myself. Dave Chappelle stage adults real What that’s allowed me to do is have a vantage point about my own life that's accessible to people still. I could see a guy walking down the street and be like, Even though I'm famous, I got more in common with this guy than, like, Brad Pitt. Dave Chappelle guy common people My kids look actually happy. And I learned early on that perfectionism and parenthood is a toxic combination for everybody involved. In other words, so many things can flourish naturally. All you gotta do is make sure the soil's right. I view myself more like a guide than a ruler. Dave Chappelle toxic views kids I got a lot of positive people around me. Dave Chappelle positive-people positive people There's a lot of people who don't want anything from me but to laugh and have a good time. You see them at the show and they like - they dress up to come see your show and stuff. And they pack these auditoriums and it's a lot of fun, man. It's like, this is how I started, and it's still fun for me. Dave Chappelle fun men people Most of the people around me have a vested interest in how much money I make. You know, so a celebrity could find themselves in a position where people could have meetings about their life without them involved. And when I say "their life" I mean not their professional life either. They could talk about their personal life. Dave Chappelle interest mean people I have all these weird fantasies. Going coast-to-coast on my motorcycle and having random barbecues all over America. No show, no nothing. Dave Chappelle motorcycle fantasy america I would go to work on the show and I felt awful every day, that's not the way it was. ... I felt like some kind of prostitute or something. If I feel so bad, why keep on showing up to this place? I'm going to Africa. The hardest thing to do is to be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching. Dave Chappelle showing-up awful way Hey hey hey, smoke weed everyday Dave Chappelle marijuana weed everyday Dave! Relax! Close your buttcheeks! Dave Chappelle relax comedy funny If I can make a teacher's salary doing comedy, I think that's better than being a teacher. Dave Chappelle salary teacher thinking
