Dave Chappelle is one of the most influential comedians to have walked the earth. His dedication to the art, and more importantly to himself, and his fans, is parallel to no other. Never afraid to speak his mind, stand up what he believes in and do it all while entertaining millions for decades. This award is well deserved and, quite frankly, a Nobel peace prize should be given to him as well!

In 2019 comedy great Dave Chappelle received the 22nd Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The event was held in a star-studded ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Toasting Chappelle were a who's who of the entertainment industry: Morgan Freeman, John Legend, Common, Lorne Michaels, Bradley Cooper, Aziz Ansari, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart and many more.

Watched this because I'm a great fan of Dave Chappelle and if anyone deserves a comedy award, he does. Suitably we have some amazing comedic talents telling some good jokes, plus some great footage of Chappelle from his earlier days, all the way back to the early 90s in some cases. We also have Chappelle himself, in a stand-up special filmed the night before the awards ceremony and at the ceremony itself.

Unfortunately it's not simply a gathering of him and his friends doing comedy routines but an awards night so you also have scores of dull speeches where the orator just heaps empty praise on Chappelle (Bradley Cooper takes the cake here but he's not alone). It's the kind of flattery that you feel embarrassed to receive (though maybe that's just me - I'm not that good with compliments). Quite cringeworthy at times.

So a bit hit and miss: some great comedy mixed in with cringeworthy praise. Overall it's watchable, but only just.

.... but contains an element of value or social commentary or idk, ethereal essence - that elevates humanity, that is benevolence in a world sorely lacking, that is almost vital to the betterment of 'man' ... in truth, instead of fumbling for the proper qualifiers and descriptors there is one word that exemplifies everything I'm insufficient to - it is simply "Chappelle"