Cheers to Chappelle

Sound bites from a night filled with laughs as comedian and Washington native Dave Chappelle claims the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL AND COURTESY OF THE KENNEDY CENTER

Elaine and Dave Chappelle

Samira Baraki, Leon Robinson and Tracey Otey Blunt

Aziz Ansari and Lorne Michaels

Michael and Iris Smith

Whether it’s at one of his pop-up comedy shows or famed Juke Joint concerts-cum-stand-up-routines, funnyman Dave Chappelle has never had trouble drawing a crowd. So, it was no surprise that a huge audience and stacked line-up of celebrities came out to support the comedian as he received the Kennedy Center’s prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The weekend’s events began on Saturday night at the National Museum of African American History and Culture with an intimate dinner and ended with an all-night rager at Cafe Milano, where at 5 a.m. a handful of District police officers reluctantly shut the party down. At a small dinner hosted by Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter and Chairman David Rubenstein, Chappelle was given a first edition of Mark Twain’s work by Rutter, who said “Tonight it’s not just a big happy reunion party for you, but it’s a way for us to say thank you for all that you have done and all that you will continue to do in the future.” The television special of the ceremony will air on PBS stations on Jan. 7. >>

Morgan Freeman and Chris Tucker

Tiffany Haddish and Marlon Wayans

“Saturday Night Live’s” Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Kenan Thompson

Michelle Wolf and George Lopez

‘The thing that’s so crazy about Mark Twain is that I went to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and I auditioned to get into the school with the Mark Twain pieces “The Judge’s ‘Spirited Woman.’’ And it sucked. And when they asked me the make or break question, “Why do you want to act?” and I told them I didn’t, it floored them. I said “I want to be a stand up comedian” and someone told me that I should take acting classes so I can be a good one. Because of that answer, they let me into the school.’

— Dave Chappelle at a small Saturday night kick-off dinner

Erykah Badu and Common

‘It must be nice to have Dave Chappelle on your side. Dave makes everybody kick their game up. He’s a comedian’s comedian. He makes comedians laugh. That’s how good he is.’

— Chris Tucker, actor and comedian

Jon Stewart and Tracey McShane

John Legend

We asked Morgan Freeman if Chappelle had ever made him the butt of a joke:

‘No, because I am not funny. I’m not even funny material. I’m a famous movie star. You don’t make fun of people like that ... I hope.’

Alexa Rachlin and David Rubenstein

Q-Tip and Deborah Rutter

‘My goal here is to communicate with you how special he is. My daughter’s back [stage] and I’m so grateful I got to meet you before I had my daughter because you taught me how to be a better man. ... I’m so lucky to be alive at the same time you are. You are even unique as a genius because you treat everybody the same. That’s my favorite thing about you. .’

— Bradley Cooper, actor