Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life

2021 American film

Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life

Release poster

Directed by| Steven Bognar
Julia Reichert
Produced by| Steven Bognar
Dave Chappelle
Julia Reichert
Starring| Dave Chappelle
Cinematography| Ian Cook
Edited by| Kevin Jones, Jaime Meyers Schlenck, and Hannah Blair

Production
company

Pilot Boy Productions

Release date

* June 19, 2021 (2021-06-19) (Tribeca Film Festival)

Running time

| 120 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English

Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life (originally titled Dave Chappelle: This Time This Place and advertised as Untitled Dave Chappelle Documentary) is a documentary film directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert. The film details Dave Chappelle's 2020 comedy shows and musical concerts he put on in Yellow Springs, Ohio during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and the 2020 George Floyd protests.[1]

## Background

[edit]

Following closures of comedy clubs and venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, Dave Chappelle began hosting outdoor comedy and music shows in a cornfield in his home of Yellow Springs, Ohio.[2] Chappelle created a COVID-19 bubble to protect artists via testing. The bubble suffered a few COVID-19 exposures.[3] Filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, directors of the documentary American Factory, happen to be Chappelle's neighbours and were asked to direct the film.[4]

## Release

[edit]

The film was premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on June 19, 2021 at Radio City Music Hall.[4]

Following controversy over jokes made in Chappelle's October 2021 Netflix special The Closer, distributors were not interested in the film and film festivals "uninvited" the film from being screened.[5] Chappelle decided to take the film on tour to be shown in 10 arenas in cities across the United States and Canada[6][7] and will have a limited theatrical run beginning November 19, 2021.[8]

## Reception

[edit]

Chappelle asked critics not to review the film.[9]

In a positive review, Peter Debruge of Variety called the film "an impressive account of how the comedian found a way to host live stand-up shows during the jittery first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, directed by Oscar-winning American Factory duo Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar".[9]

The film has not yet been released to the general public.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kohn, Eric (June 20, 2021). "Dave Chappelle Delivers a Rousing Follow-Up to 'Block Party' for Packed Radio City Crowd".
2. ^ Ballengee, Libby (Aug 7, 2020). "Dave Chappelle shows to continue starting with a sold-out newly announced show with John Mayer". Springfield News-Sun. Archived from the original on 2020-11-10.
3. ^ Young, Julius (September 28, 2020). "Dave Chappelle-led comedy shows canceled after 'possible' coronavirus exposure". Fox News.
4. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (June 20, 2021). "Dave Chappelle Closes Out Tribeca Festival With Surprise Concert at Radio City". Variety.
5. ^ Escandon, Rosa (2021-10-26). "Dave Chappelle Announces Documentary Dates Amidst Controversy". Forbes.
6. ^ Blistein, Jon (October 25, 2021). "Dave Chappelle, Who's Definitely 'Canceled,' to Screen New Documentary in Arenas". Rolling Stone.
7. ^ "Tickets to Toronto screening of Dave Chappelle doc reselling for over $3,000 | Listed". dailyhive.com.
8. ^ "Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life Movie Tickets & Showtimes". Cinemark.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
9. ^ a b Debruge Variety, Peter (November 6, 2021). "'Untitled' Dave Chappelle Documentary Review: A Movie So Good, You Wish You Could Forget 'The Closer'".

## External links

[edit]

* Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Dave Chappelle

TV series|

* Chappelle's Show (2003–2006)

Stand-up specials|

* HBO Comedy Half-Hour (1998)
* Killin' Them Softly (2000)
* For What It's Worth (2004)
* Sticks & Stones (2019)
* 8:46 (2020)
* The Closer (2021)
* Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (2023)

Films written|

* Half Baked (1998)
* Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005)

Family|

* Bill Chappelle (father)
* William Chappelle Sr. (great-grandfather)
* W. D. Chappelle Jr. (grand-uncle)
* Robert John Palmer (great-great-grandfather)

Related|

* 2021 Netflix walkout
* Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2019)
* Dave Chappelle: Live in Real Life (2021)
* List of awards and nominations

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template