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Dave Chappelle Checks Texts Instead of Telling Jokes at Charity Event

Comedian Dave Chappelle gave a bizarre performance last night during his appearance at Zo's Summer Groove Comedy Show at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, the yearly charity event put on by ex-Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning (and that we regrettably had a ticket giveaway for). The former Chappelle Show star...
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Comedian Dave Chappelle gave a bizarre performance last night during his appearance at Zo's Summer Groove Comedy Show at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, the yearly charity event put on by ex-Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning (and that we regrettably had a ticket giveaway for).

The former Chappelle Show star was distracted by the audience to the point that he was berating fans for recording him and not telling any jokes. At least this wasn't a night when he was planning to take back his standup endurance record from Dane Cook by performing for more than seven hours.

The antihilarity was documented on CNN's Roland S. Martin's Twitter account, where he noted, "He got texted four times during his show and actually checked them." We have Martin's hilarious tweets -- including a couple that address Chappelle interacting with him from the stage -- posted last night and some not-very-fun-to-watch video of the awkward scene.

From Roland S. Martin's Twitter:

This Dave Chappelle set is bizarre. He's spent more time going back & forth with one audience member, & pretty much stopped telling jokesless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

One woman just yelled, "Can you tell a joke so we can enjoy ourselves!" He got texted four times during his show and actually checked themless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

I'm just not understanding what threw him off. He's complained about folks videotaping his set, yelling out loud. I don't get itless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

"This crowd is as serious as hell," he says. Dave, we're trying to figure out what we've listened to for the last 25 minutes.less than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

Chappelle says this is a "test of wills." He keeps saying "tick tock" & he has "nothing but time." He's just staring at the crowd & sighingless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

"As shitty as the show is, I can't wait to explain this on CNN." Dave Chappelle complaining about a guy taping his whole showless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

Then Dave started talking to me, asking if I was putting this on CNN. Yes, from the stage! He's been on stage 46 minutes & told one joke.less than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

He kept saying "I respect your work." And then said, He'll send me a tape of his better comedy work. This is a trip!less than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

One of Chappelle's folks told me he hates hecklers, and that totally threw him off. And every little thing that happened just took him offless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply

I'm talking to other folks & they say Dave is a very cerebral comic & folks felt the audience became invasive into his comedy.less than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet Reply


And here's what the whole set was apparently like. "Glad I didn't wear a suit -- that would've been embarrasing," Chappelle says, while hecklers peppered him with insults. As he left the stage, D.L. Hughley remarked, "Y'all can do better than that -- give him some, Dave Chappelle." Perhaps part of that was directed at Dave himself.



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