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Dave Chappelle

Gives Crowd the Silent Treatment

7/23/2011 5:40 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Dave Chappelle bombed on stage last night at a charity event in Miami -- things were so bad, Dave checked his text messages ... in the middle of his show!


According to reports, Chappelle became distracted by fans who were recording him and began conversing with them and refusing to tell jokes.

CNN reporter Roland S. Martin was in the crowd and tweeted throughout the show, saying, "He's spent more time going back & forth with one audience member, & pretty much stopped telling jokes ... He got texted four times during his show and actually checked them ... He's just staring at the crowd & sighing ... He's been on stage 46 minutes & told one joke."

The event, Zo’s Summer Groove, was put on by former NBA player Alonzo Mourning with the money going towards Alonzo's youth charity.


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If sense were common everyone would have it.    

Of course, not shocked at all. He always seemed more whiny than funny to me. All he had to do was get security/staff to remove the offender if it bothered him that much. If some idiot wants to buy a horrible bootleg of the performance, they deserve getting stiffed. Thought he was supposed to be all zenned out & cool with life. Guess Mecca wasn't the answer.

1086 days ago


Well, Dave hasn't been all that productive since becoming Muslim. Maybe he agrees with the late Ayatollah Khomeini's statement that "There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious."

1086 days ago


Probably wasn't feeling it since it was a charity event. Hope nobody asked for a refund...poor kids

1086 days ago


seriously, when is hollywood/la going to sink into the ocean already.

1086 days ago

some guy    


I'll only watch that video i*****iant meteor falls on the Univ. of MD and kills everyone in a cataclysmic explosion at the end.

1086 days ago


@Mark- I was watching Dave in the Late 90's before his tv show. I don't need to be told he is funny because of that show. AND FYI, this is NOT surprising. I recall a couple years ago where CHappell got on a plane and tried to run in to the ****pit saying he didn't want to use the bathroom on the airplane and HE FREAKED OUT. When the plane landed he was apprehended and was telling people he didn't know where he lived. NO, THIS IS NOT SURPRISING.

1086 days ago


@Me- wow, what the freak do you care? They were fans, when I go to concerts people do it because they LIKE THE ACT. IDIOT. It makes you mad they were filming? AND JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, YOU CAN FILM, YOU'RE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO USE A PROTRUDING ZOMMABLE LENS. SAYS SO ON THE TICKETS YOU GET. I speak from experience, you speak from ignorance. Again, why does that make you mad they filmed? I've never heard a fan complain that stuff, you have issues.

1086 days ago


Let's not get testy at University. Of MD. Years ago I took
some courses there but heard about University. Of HI and
their major- Waikiki Beach Bum. Was more challenging so
I switched schools. And there I met Dawg. :o)

1086 days ago


I was there and Dave was a real A-- Hole!!! he came out mad!! there 5000 there but he only cared about a few cell phone's!! the show was for kids charity's in south Fl put on by Alonzo Mourning from Miami Heat who was classie about it all!! all the other Coedians where GREAT!! DL HUGHLEY,NEMA WILLIAMS, CAPONE, ROZ G, MARVIN DIXON & SMOKEY SUAREZ!! ALL FUNNY GREAT!!! BUT dave chappelle was last-OUT what a buzz-kill!! he was sad/mad an A-- Hole !! he did'nt care it was for kids charity at all!!

1086 days ago


TO ALL THE IDIOTS DEFENDING DAVE CHAPPELLE- REMEMBER, THIS WAS FOR CHARITY. STANDING ON STAGE FOR ALMOST AN HOUR DOING NOTHING BECAUSE YOU'RE MAD ABOUT SOME PEOPLE FILMING IS NO EXCUSE TO DISAPPOINT THIS CHARITY. IT'S ALSO IMMATURE WHAT HE DID. Yea, maybe they shouldn't outright pointed their cameras at him, BUT IT SAYS A WHOLE LOT ABOUT HIS MENTAL STATE AND MATURITY...any great comedian would have at least been more talkative. I love the guy, but this is just another reason he is accused of being mental.

1086 days ago


very sad chappelle is obviously struggling with mental illness,he is a wonderful genius comedian but the illness makes him too disorganized to perform.

1086 days ago


Heard so much about Dave Chapelle, but never really sat throught any of his work. So I didn't have an opinion. So this was pretty much my first impression and all I can say is what the hell? I'm glad I had comp. tickets because he harped on the fact it was a charity show but some people paid a hundred bucks. Just because it's pro bono for him that's no reason to short change the patrons.

1086 days ago

not here    

It's that dumb person video's fault. Why does everyone always have their faces up in their cameras? Turn your camera off and enjoy the show - especially if you're in the front row and it's clearly upsetting and distracting the performer!

1086 days ago


When my husband and I lived in Las Vegas, we saw Dave Chappelle when he performed at Mandalay Bay. It was a show that was supposed to start at 11pm and he didn't come out til after midnight. By this time, audience members were totally hammered and wasted, yelling out all sorts of one-liners from The Chappelle Show, and wanting him to do all these characters from the show. He kept saying that was not what he was there to do, and asked security to remove a few drunk people from the venue. Then he got quiet for awhile, left the stage, then came back and finished the show. It was really disappointing. I love him and had waited a long time to see him live. He plays here alot in the Bay Area and always has a good show, so I don't know what could be wrong. Maybe he should quit stand-up and do something else.

1086 days ago


Maybe you have something there. He as been pretty good in movies
and to think about it, the funny stuff in the Chappelle Show was the
skits, not the standup .But he has something else going on.

1086 days ago
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