Attendees at the 23rd annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, including fellow comedian David Letterman, were treated to a rare screening of Dave Chappelle’s unreleased documentary, Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life, on August 8. The event, which included a surprise Q&A with Chappelle, was a philanthropic effort to raise funds for his alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.
The documentary chronicles the celebrated outdoor comedy shows Chappelle hosted in the cornfields of his Yellow Springs, Ohio, home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. Initially titled Dave Chappelle: This Time This Place, the film premiered at Radio City Music Hall during the 2021 Tribeca Festival. However, its wider distribution was reportedly derailed by the controversy surrounding transphobic jokes in his Netflix special, The Closer. In response, Chappelle organized a limited tour featuring the film, but it remains unavailable to the general public.
At the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center, co-director Steven Bognar, who made the film with his late wife and fellow Oscar-winner Julia Reichert, introduced the screening. “We have a neighbor; his name is Dave. When the world shut down in 2020, Dave called us,” Bognar recalled, adding that in response to the global events, “Dave felt he needed to do something.”
The film captures behind-the-scenes moments from the 50-plus shows, which pioneered safety protocols for live events at the time. It features candid interactions with comedians such as Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Tiffany Haddish, and the late Bob Saget, as well as musical performances from Erykah Badu, Common, and Questlove.
Following the screening, Chappelle took the stage for the Q&A, explaining his motivation for the shows: “It was really important for me to have my voice out there.” He acknowledged Letterman’s presence, thanking him for his early support. Handed a microphone, Letterman praised Chappelle as the “gold standard” he advises young comedians to emulate.
With wit and candor, Chappelle addressed audience questions, quipping about the fallout from his controversial material. He also spoke passionately about the role the Duke Ellington School of the Arts played in affirming his identity. “Ellington gave me a sense of community,” he explained, noting that this same drive for community inspired his pandemic shows and his presence at the film festival.
