Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:13 PM EDT
The Associated Press
By DAVID BAUDER

Comedy Central star Dave Chappelle has checked himself into a mental health facility in South Africa, the magazine Entertainment Weekly reported on Wednesday.

The comedian's whereabouts and condition have been unknown since Comedy Central abruptly announced last week that the planned May 31 launch of the third season of "Chappelle's Show" had been postponed and production halted.

Chappelle flew from Newark, N.J., to South Africa on April 28 for treatment, said the magazine, quoting a source close to the show it would not identify. Entertainment Weekly said it had corroborating sources for its story.

"We don't know where he is," Comedy Central spokesman Tony Fox said. "We've heard about South Africa. We don't know. We haven't talked to Dave."

Chappelle's spokesman, Matt Labov, would not comment on the magazine's story.

"It seems like the issues he's contending with are really quite serious," said Dade Hayes, a senior editor at Entertainment Weekly. "It isn't a case of him spending a weekend someplace recuperating from exhaustion."

The magazine's sources say Chappelle is still in the facility, which was not named, Hayes said. Chappelle's representatives have denied that the comedian was abusing drugs.

Chappelle reportedly signed a $50 million deal with Comedy Central for two more seasons of his show, a payday made possible because of the explosive sales of the show's first season DVD.

The magazine said Chappelle had shot four to five episodes' worth of sketches for the new season, but none of its onstage introductions.


(Damnit, why is it the good one's that have to go out like that?  I really hope he comes to and keeps making people like me rofl!)
  :(

   

Oh man!  That sucks a**- I love Chapelle show.  I hope nothing's too terribly wrong  :\'(

Any Black man who checks himself into a South African mental hospital ought to be put away!
:-\\

Remember when Martin Lawrence flipped his nut on crack?

The difference is, Chappelle has more talent in his pinky than Lawrence ever had in his whole life!

I'm not quite convinced this is not an elaborate stunt on Dave's part.  I mean, it's just so bizarre!

I hope he's okay. But, Max, I disagree with you. Both comedians are quite talented. Luck sometimes runs out.

Tanya

I liked Martin too!  I also liked Chris Tucker, speaking of which, what the h€ll happened to him?  That's just it, sometimes when your "fifteen minutes of fame" are up, you just let yourself go and wither away.  Although, Chappelle is still young and I know he isn't going to let his loyal fans down.  Maybe he just had a little tizzy and he needed to check his head for a bit.  He might even be down there looking for more material for some more skits.  Let's just hope he's doing alright.  8)

No not Chappelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's my hero right there.  :(

The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Along with Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle is Comedy Central's biggest star. Now he's gone, with some question about whether "Chappelle's Show" will ever return.

At Comedy Central, they're looking to weather the storm but not from a position of weakness: the network's ratings are higher than ever, even without new shows from Chappelle.

Comedy Central announced last week that its planned May 31 debut of the show's third season has been postponed, although it's not fully clear why. The magazine Entertainment Weekly reported that Chappelle had checked himself into a mental health facility in South Africa. Production of the series has been stopped with a handful of skits — but no full show — completed, according to the magazine.

Media analyst Larry Gerbrandt said an original series that breaks through the clutter to become a hit is an invaluable commodity.

"Hits are so rare in this business," said Gerbrandt, who specializes in the cable television industry. "It's not fatal, but it's definitely a body blow."

Comedy Central inked a reported $50 million deal to keep "Chappelle's Show" for two more seasons, mostly on the strength of explosive DVD sales. The first season's set has sold 2.8 million copies, making it the all-time biggest-selling DVD of a TV series. The second-season DVD goes on sale May 24.

Industry experts say Comedy Central doesn't sell advertising on a show-by-show basis; advertisers buy spots for the whole network and they are rotated into different series. That means there wouldn't be an immediate financial hit from losing "Chappelle's Show" like there would be if ABC suddenly lost "Desperate Housewives."

If Chappelle doesn't return, it also doesn't necessarily mean Comedy Central is on the hook for a huge contract: part of his big-money deal is based on expected sales of future DVDs, according to industry reports.

"Chappelle's Show" is behind only "South Park" as Comedy Central's most-watched show, according to Nielsen Media Research.

("The Daily Show" ranks No. 5 in ratings for the network, although Stewart is arguably its biggest star.)

Comedy Central will fill Chappelle's empty time slot with episodes of "Reno 911" before the June 14 debut of "Stella," an original series described as a Marx Brothers-like comedy, said network spokesman Tony Fox.

A new series featuring popular comic Carlos Mencia is also expected this summer, he said.

Comedy Central executives were reluctant to talk about how Chappelle's absence will be felt, both out of the immediate concern for his health and the still-unanswered question about whether the show has a future.

The network's ratings success this year was largely fueled by an airing of the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" movie and a roast of Jeff Foxworthy.

Aaron Cohen, director of broadcasting for the ad-buying firm Horizon Media, said Comedy Central appeared to have several strong shows in development. They include programs featuring Stephen Colbert of "The Daily Show," Adam Carolla and D.L. Hughley.

"I don't think they will lose money," Cohen said. "The only economic impact would be if the ratings of the whole network went down and if all of their development would go into the tank so they're not building anymore. I don't see that."

Gerbrandt said one of the most important roles of "Chappelle's Show" for Comedy Central is to build interest in other network programming. It's similar to how "Grey's Anatomy" has become a hit for ABC in part because it follows the successful "Desperate Housewives" in the Sunday night lineup.

"It doesn't break them financially, but it's a big setback for them from a programming strategy standpoint," he said. "Because you build on your hits."



R.I.P. Dave  :\'(

R.I.P. Dave  :\'(


Huh?  I didn't see anything in that article saying he died.

Huh?  I didn't see anything in that article saying he died.


Well, of course he didn't die......but his career might.....I'm so upset over that.  He's my hero! :-[

I doubt that his career is over, it is also a sad fact that alot of the best comedians suffer from terrible depression, it looks like he may be one of them.  :-\\

I'll bet it was all those people that kept coming up to him and saying "I'm Rick James, b*tch!" that drove him insane...

I'll bet it was all those people that kept coming up to him and saying "I'm Rick James, b*tch!" that drove him insane...


I would get alittle p!ssed off too if people kept constantly repeating my lines... :D

*whew!*  I just saw on my AOL news- Dave was just stressed and just checked himself in for an appointment w/ a psychiatrist. 
Hope he feels better and comes back soon!

Maybe the fact he went SO FAR to see a psych proves he's got problems in the first place..

I have a psychiatrist on Mars but don't see it too often... :D 

*whew!*  I just saw on my AOL news- Dave was just stressed and just checked himself in for an appointment w/ a psychiatrist.   
Hope he feels better and comes back soon!



Yeah, I'm glad that he's just checking out for a short while......give 'im enough time to work on some new and funnier material.  8)

I'll bet it was all those people that kept coming up to him and saying "I'm Rick James, b*tch!" that drove him insane...

He ought tell it to Billy Crystal.  Twenty years ago Billy couldn't go anywhere without people running up and saying "You look mahvelous!" 
For you youngsters, that was the catch phrase of Crystal's popular "Hernando" character of the SNL sketch "Hernando's Hideaway."  Hernando said it to every "guest" on "Hernando's Hideaway."  It went something like, "Dahlink, let me tell you this, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart--you look mahvelous, absolutely mahvelous!"
Crystal even had comedy album called "Mahvelous," and a novelty hit called "You Look Mahvelous."  In 1984, he even used it to pitch for Pepsi, the shameless sell-out!  "Let me tell you my little twelve-ounce dahlink...."
I'm dating myself back to when people still bought twelve--not twenty--ounce soft drinks!
:P

Yeah, I'm glad that he's just checking out for a short while......give 'im enough time to work on some new and funnier material.  8)


Maybe some sketches about South African nut houses?

Everyone is printing some GOOFED UP story..
First they couldn't find him, then he's in S. Africa looking for psychiatric help..NOW they say he is no longer having a show and he left because he was hearing voices in his head and wanted to hear the REAL one that matters. He was upset with the direction the show was being forced to go in....so I gave up on where he is and why...THIS IS A NON STORY AS FAR AS I'M SEEING IT.

since i don't know him personally all that really matters to me in that he's not capable of making his show right now. which is pretty disappointing.

Remember when Martin Lawrence flipped his nut on crack?

The difference is, Chappelle has more talent in his pinky than Lawrence ever had in his whole life!


AND he got AWAY with it! Running around Hollweird Blvd. waving a loaded gun....A non star would be in jail >:(

Maybe some sketches about South African nut houses?



;D ;D ;D.....there ya go! 

According to an interview with Chapelle in TIME Magazine, he is just staying with some friends in Durban, South Africa. He had to get away from everything. He doesn't have a drug problem, he didn't go crazy. He just needed to get away to clear his head. He'll return to the States soon and start back work on the show.

And I found out something interesting from the interview, he is a Muslim. I didn't know that.

And I found out something interesting from the interview, he is a Muslim. I didn't know that.


Yeah, crazy huh?  At one point in his career, he vowed to give up comedy and follow the ways of Muslim tradition..............thank goodness he was just "joking".  ;D----> 8)

LOL....the question is....who isn't crazy in Hollywood?  lol