MovieChat Forums > Chappelle's Show (2003) Discussion > Turning down $50mil for season 4....Resp...

Turning down $50mil for season 4....Respect or Crazy?

posted 8 years ago by tricksoftrade01
3 replies | jump to latest

Comedy Central offered Chappelle $50 MILLION DOLLARS to reup his contract.

Now rumor had it that The Chappelle show generated over $350 million for the network in its first three seasons....and Chappelle's real beef was that the upcoming seasons would have most likely generated more than $350 mil for Comedy Central and he thought that the company was low-balling him.

It is hard to think of $50 million as low balling , but he has a point.

How much was 'The Tonight Show' generating for NBC and what was Carsons cut?

[–] AdmiralTugBenson 8 years ago

I guess it's sort of the same thing you see with professional athletes. People think they're crazy or greedy for not being satisfied with dollar amounts that most of us will never see in a lifetime and we often say they should shut up and take the money. But when you look at how much money the ownership is taking in and how vital those players are to that income, they do have a point. It's their right, as the owner, but it also seems strange that some fat old man can sit on his ass watching the game and make many times more money than the guys actually playing the games and putting their bodies on the line. In this case the guy actually bringing in all the money by making the show may have felt he deserved a larger cut. It was about more than just money though. I'm sure you know about all the other issues that centered around his departure. I won't say Respect or Crazy, because he was extremely famous at the time and could have made tons more money than he was at Comedy Central. He could have left basic cable for a huge film career. Why he didn't I don't know. Maybe he wanted to stay out of the spotlight (super-stardom didn't seem to be agreeing with him), or maybe those offers didn't come after all the drama surrounding the show's collapse and rumors of his mental health.

"Dan Marino should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Would you like a cookie son?"

[–] tricksoftrade01 8 years ago

His shows were so great (esp at bringing the races together) that perhaps the strain on maintaining 'being funny' can be too much on such a talented artist.

[–] DusterJ79 8 years ago

he didn't decline the contract because of money, he declined the contract because he was tired of white people coming up to him and using the N word, thinking it was funny, when the reality is it was offensive..

After having this happen time and time again, he decided to take a break.. Then leave the show..

As for the network, even if they made 350 million over the first 3 seasons, why would Chappelle think 50 million for 1 season was bad.. you do realize, much like Chappelle, that the extra's on the show cost money, the production team cost money, everything cost money..