Report: Pressure Behind 'Chappelle' Delay

[underpants]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/dave_chappelle

NEW YORK - Dave Chappelle is under pressure, according to a Newsweek report. The star of Comedy Central's popular "Chappelle's Show," is exhausted due to tension, partying and creative differences with Comedy Central, causing last week's halt in the show's production, the report said.

"I saw him start trippin' when the buzz started to get real loud," one unidentified celebrity friend told Newsweek. "I think he was in shock after the first season, and then (during) the second, it hit him that he was the man. That freaked him. And then came the pressure of living up to expectations for the third season. He's never been there — where something's so good and you got to come even stronger the next time. It was too much."

Newsweek writer Devin Gordon visited the set in November 2004, just a few weeks into shooting on the third season. Gordon didn't notice any out of the ordinary behavior.

The Newsweek report claims Chappelle wants to delve into more controversial racial issues, unsettling "Comedy Central" executives; Comedy Central and an employee in Chappelle's camp said last week the delay "is not a network issue."

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. And this is why so few artists only shine briefly...

I fear a True Hollywood Story is in the making....

[underpants]

7. Well Ben Stiller's show on MTV didn't last very long

Nor did Andy Dick's show. I sense that you have a few really great skits and after a while it is pretty hard to come up with anything new or fresh. Kids n the Hall and of course Monty Python don't follow this rule but then they had a huge cast (writers) to draw from. I am sure Chappelle has a sizeable writing staff* but unless you are riffing on current news/culture events it could be very hard.

*I read an interview in which Chapelle joked about how all his writers are white and writing about "the black experience" much like Leno and Letterman writing for Jimmy Walker at one point.

[Pawel K]

2. I have high respect for Chappelle and hope he'll be okay

but make that damn third season, I need my fix.

[MrScorpio]

3. If Comedy Central is freaking, then Chappelle is bringing the shit

I say, let Chappelle bring the shit

Why shoot a gift horse in the mouf?

[trotsky]

4. I'd love to see what he could do on a network like HBO.

You can tell watching so many skits that he's had to reel it in a bit for Comedy Central.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Dave Chappelle is one funny motherfucker!

I hope CC lets him do what ever he wants and they pay him whatever he wants.

He deserves it!:thumbsup:

[underpants]

6. South Park --> The Daily Show --> Chapelle

That is the order of shows that made CC profitable. I don't know about other shows (Crank Yankers for instance) but I can't imagine that the movie repeats or SNL repeats or MadTV repeats are all that profitable.

They shouldn't bite one of the hands that feed or Chapelle could jump ship and go to HBO (Showtime would probably be falling all over themselves to get his show) and do the Bill Maher thing- 6 shows equals a "season" and take the rest of the time to write and .... uh...party.

ON EDIT- but then I am not some genius TV exec I have just been watching "the box" religiously as long as I can remember.

[Bossy Monkey]

8. Remember when MST3K WAS Comedy Central?

Then Best Brains decided basically to do a movie instead of a season (only made 4 episodes that year as I recall) and CC nuked 'em. Way to cut your nose to spite your face, fellas!

[DS1]

9. Someone should email him the endless Gannon/Guckert/HST/kidnapping

for sex trade threads on DU, I'm sure he could find some material in that

[slutticus]

10. Take your time Dave!

Don't let those fucks pressure you...

[miss_kitty]

11. I hadn't bought a DVD since Jan 2004, and just bought the 1st season

a week or so ago... What a laugh riot.

Please Dave. Rest up, smoke some of the chronic and come back to us. We want you. We love you. We NEED you!