Watch Dave Chappelle Laugh Off Kyrie Irving’s ‘Flat-Earth’ Belief
Dave Chappelle promoted his two new Netflix specials with a hilarious interview Tuesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Among other subjects, the comedian joked about Kyrie Irving’s belief in the “flat-Earth” theory” and defended his Fight Club-styled no-camera policy during live performances.
Chappelle laughed about his encounter with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who attended one of his recent L.A. shows. Kimmel asked if he chatted with Kyrie Irving about the point guard’s belief in a flat Earth, but a dumbfounded Chappelle said he “wouldn’t even know how to broach that topic.”
“I don’t understand the philosophy behind the ‘flat Earth’ theory,” he continued. “First of all, what difference does it make? It could be flat, could not be flat. There could be 12 continents. How would you know?”
Chappelle, who is known for banning live recording during his sets, explained to Kimmel that the strict policy keeps his material fresh on tour.
“It became a thing where I’d walk onstage and see a sea of cell phones, so I knew that anything I said in the room I was saying to everybody, whether they’re in the room or not,” he said. “Which is not an empowering feeling as a comedian. It’s like Fight Club rules apply … Comedians need an element of surprise. So if someone sees a joke that I’m doing before I get to their city, then I gotta do all new jokes, and I can’t write fast enough.”
The comic’s new specials, Deep in the Heart of Texas and The Age of Spin, were filmed in 2015 and 2016, respectively. But in spite of some initial reservations about their timeliness, Chappelle ultimately doesn’t care. “I don’t get mad at a photograph because it’s not today,” he cracked.
Chappelle is expected to release the third installment of his Netflix special trilogy later this year.