When Dave Chappelle isn’t doing massive Netflix specials or selling out small comedy clubs in the United States, he is taking his comedy voice elsewhere. The controversial comedian recently did shows in Nairobi, Kenya, at the Punchline Comedy Club alongside Kenyan acts. This is a unique choice, as oftentimes comedy can be culturally specific.
This truly shows Chappelle’s reach as a comedian, and how his sense of humor translates worldwide. However, he had a very notable stipulation when it came to his performance: no cell phones. A report by the Kenyan Times (via MSN ) published some of the restrictions that would take place at Chappelle’s shows in Nairobi, including his restriction of cell phone use during his set.
He also banned any recording devices including cameras and smartwatches at the venue. The devices would be confiscated at the beginning of his show and returned to audience members after his performance. The comedian has been doing this for a while, and explained his reasoning during a Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview in 2017.
He said: It became a thing where I’d walk on stage and see cell phones, so I knew that anything I said in the room, I was saying to everybody, whether they were in the room or not. Which is not an empowering feeling as a comedian. It’s like fight club rules apply, what I’m saying in the room, I’d rather just keep in the room.
This makes a lot of sense, especially for a comedian like Dave Chappelle. His comedy has become incredibly .