Dave Chappelle Recalls Being Booed Off Stage at the Apollo

Dave Chappelle Reflects on Getting Booed Off Stage at the Apollo

Before becoming one of comedy’s biggest stars, Dave Chappelle faced one of the toughest crowds in entertainment: the Apollo Theater. In a throwback story, Chappelle humorously recounted his humbling experience after winning a contest that landed him a performance at the iconic venue.

“All the contest winners got put on a bus. We met at Howard University, and it took us to Harlem,” Chappelle said. Stepping onto the famous stage, he felt a mix of excitement and terror. Like many performers before him, he rubbed the Apollo’s legendary "Log of Hope" for good luck. “I got to tell you, it doesn’t work, man,” he joked.

Things started off well, but one heckler in the front row decided he’d had enough. “Boo!” the man shouted, and the rest of the audience followed. Chappelle described it as an out-of-body experience, laughing at how quickly the crowd turned on him. “The black community agreed on something, believe it or not,” he quipped.

This early career flop taught Chappelle resilience and shaped his fearless approach to comedy. Sometimes, even legends have to bomb before they soar.