Dave Chappelle and Kanye West have been in each other’s orbit since at least 2004, when the young Chicago rapper, fresh off releasing his game-changing album The College Dropout, appeared on Chappelle’s Show to perform “The Food” with Common.
The pair reunited this week in Wyoming, where West, who recently went on a worrying Twitter rant, is holed up and surrounded by security in a ‘bunker’ on his ranch… while tweeting about visits from people such as comedian Dave Chappelle,” according to Page Six. He wrote, “THANK YOU DAVE FOR HOPPING ON A JET TO COME SEE ME DOING WELL DAVE YOU ARE A GOD SEND AND A TRUE FRIEND ALL LOVE,” while chiding Chappelle to tell a joke (“I’m still on my first cup of coffee”) in an awkward video.
To quote The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, West “doesn’t seem well,” which is why an old video of Chappelle talking about the use of the word “crazy” has gone viral. The clip is taken from a 2006 episode of Inside the Actors Studio, hosted by the late James Lipton, who asks Chappelle about his friend and co-star Martin Lawrence. He replied:
“Martin Lawrence is the guy who showed everybody you can make it from D.C. to Hollywood. And I had a personal stake in his success. Every time he did something it made me feel inspired and really good. And he was always real nice to me. He’d sit me down, ‘What’s going on with you, baby boy.’ We’d talk about comedy, whatever. When we did Blue Streak, we were promoting it, and Martin had a stroke. He almost died. And then after that I saw him I was like, ‘Oh my god, Martin, are you okay?’ And he said, ‘I got the best sleep I ever got in my life.’ That’s how tough he is.
“Let me ask you this. What is happening in Hollywood that a guy that tough would be on the street waving a gun, screaming, ‘They are trying to kill me?’ What’s going on? Why is Dave Chappelle going to Africa? Why does Mariah Carey make a $100 million deal and take her clothes off on TRL? A weak person cannot get to sit here and talk to you. Ain’t no weak people talking to you. So what is happening in Hollywood? Nobody knows. The worst thing to call somebody is ‘crazy.’ It’s dismissive. ‘I don’t understand this person, so they’re crazy.’ It’s bullsh*t… People are not crazy. They’re strong people. Maybe the environment is a little sick.”
The AV Club described Chappelle’s answer as putting “Kanye’s recent troubles in perspective” back in 2016, and people are sharing it all over again in 2020.
Dave Chappelle once said :
“The worst thing to call somebody is “crazy” it’s dismissive. I don’t understand this person so they’re crazy. That’s bullshit cause People are not crazy they are strong people. maybe the ENVIRONMENT… is a little sick” – #Kanye#YeGang #Kayne pic.twitter.com/5k4r6Ywb7b
— Nèg Vanyan
(@NVanyan) July 21, 2020
People are quick to write Kanye off and label him “crazy” remember what Dave Chappelle, who flew from Ohio to Wyoming to check in with Ye had to say about Hollywood pic.twitter.com/QEm71xzUcs
— Kenny King Jr (@KennyKing_Jr) July 22, 2020
“Never call somebody crazy… it’s dismissive” – Dave Chappelle pic.twitter.com/470KPifJLD
— MATT JACK (@mattjxsn) July 21, 2020
Yo people talking about Kanye really made me think about what Dave Chappell said years ago. JUST LISTEN to what he says at the end
pic.twitter.com/r8WXDhe6pw
— Ju
(@Juju2Cold) July 21, 2020
“The worse thing you can do is call someone crazy. It’s dismissive.”
– Dave Chappelle pic.twitter.com/Fl57JUmgtO— E A R L E E (@earleeriser) July 21, 2020
(Via the AV Club)