In a Netflix special, Chappelle says San Francisco taught him 'the trick of life'

Dave Chappelle just released a new comedy special streaming on Netflix called “The Dreamer,” and once again, San Francisco is making a big appearance.

Chappelle has a long history in the city, having become a regular on Punch Line after leaving his Comedy Central show. Later in his career, he developed a friendship with the late trans comedian Daphne Dorman, a San Francisco native whom he repeatedly cited in his own shows. He has drawn widespread condemnation from LGBTQ groups for his transphobic comments.

The comedian usually returns to San Francisco several times a year (he once referred to the city as an “ATM” that he played whenever he needed money). When he comes to town, controversy usually follows — at the Chase Center in 2022, Elon Musk booed, and at the Freemasons he criticized San Francisco State. However, in his last appearance on Punch Line in July 2023, he seemed to have moved beyond the kind of culture war humor that had tarnished his reputation among many fans.

Although he announced at the end of his previous special, “The Closer,” that he was done making jokes about the transgender community, he continues to talk about LGBTQ people and gender identity throughout “The Dreamer.” The tone was less combative, but the final lines were clear whistles recalling the earlier controversy. Some of the jokes feel lazy; In other moments, Chappelle shines with his old brilliance. Whatever your thoughts are about Chappelle at this point, “The Dreamer” is unlikely to change them.

Halfway through, Chappelle left the stage to smoke a cigarette and return to tell a long story about San Francisco. At the age of 22, Chappelle was offered an HBO comedy special filmed at Broadway Studios in San Francisco, located in North Beach. The venue was located above a nightclub, and 20 minutes into Chappelle's set, the club started playing loud music, which Chappelle thought ruined his show (although the annoying music is not audible in the final product).

After the sci-fi screening, Chappelle kicked the door of the production trailer out of the venue and began yelling at employees. Producers blamed someone associated with the nightclub, so Chappelle directed his anger at a man associated with the venue whom he identified as a Russian gangster. Chappelle ended up in the dark kitchen of the club cursing the gangster, who blamed the producers. When Chappelle realized he was wrong, he apologized.

“It's funny when you think you're so right. You can get drunk on feeling how right you are,” Chappelle says, before slipping in a homophobic phrase.

Chappelle says that after apologizing to the gangster, he came to a realization in San Francisco that he made clear in the final 10 minutes of his set.

“In your life, at any given moment, the strongest dream at that moment wins at that moment. I am a very strong dreamer..

“That's the trick in life. You have to be wise enough to know when you're living your dream. You have to be humble enough to accept that you're in someone else's home.”