In 2009, Dave Chappelle was in Portland shopping for menswear when he casually mentioned that he was on his way to pick up an amp to play a free show at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Twitter heard about it. The Mercury heard about it. Soon enough, everyone in Portland had heard about it. I went to the square that night. It was packed. Chappelle was there. It was crazy. A couple years later, dude dropped by for a last-minute, nearly unannounced show at the Keller. Takeaway: He doesn’t much like to plan ahead.
So was both surprising and unsurprising when last night, Helium quietly announced that Chappelle would be in Portland tonight. HELIUM. Not the Keller, not the Newmark, but a proper, smallish comedy room. And then they added Thursday and Friday shows. Tickets are $55. They sold out. Immediately.
As of right this second, there are still tickets available for two Saturday shows—that’s right, they just keep adding ’em. Those will sell out, too. Move fast.
WILL HE SAY HIS CATCH PHRASES IF I PROMPT HIM BY SHOUTING THEM DURING THE SHOW?
@CC: THERES ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT!
I still feel bad about this.. it was years ago but I was drunk at a free comedy show at the Tiger Bar downtown. I wasn’t even paying attention to what the guy was saying but I shouted “You know what’s funny?” he responds “what?” I yell “Jokes.” It got a ton of laughs but I felt like shit. I still feel like shit. I was going through a bad time in my life. If you’re out there and happen to be reading this, please accept my apology. 🙁
I waited on Mr. Chappelle at Bank Cafe and Bar in Napa during his stay at the Westin Verasa in 2012 and he was one of the nicest, most down to Earth celebrities I’ve ever waited on (Joe Montana and Ray Manzarek were also very polite and unpretentious). The next day I ran into him at the Starbucks around the corner from where I was living at the time in Napa. He was standing behind me in line, recognized me from the previous night, thanked me for the “killer service” and paid for my coffee. We walked outside and I offered him a cigarette. The two of us spent the next half hour smoking cigarettes and talking about everything from the Ducati he was riding, to places I recommended he check out in SF, music, and why he and his entourage should cancel their balloon ride the following morning because they were going out drinking that night and would have to be up at 5:00AM to leave for the ride. He was such a super cool, regular guy, someone you’d like to have over to chill or invite to a party. Thanks, Dave.
Paul Weeks