Up First from NPR

Dave Chappelle on free speech and the purpose of comedy | NPR’s Newsmakers

April 15, 2026·38 min·3-min readinterviewcomedy
Podzilla Summary (3 min)
TLDR
Dave Chappelle reflects on his life in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he’s rooted in community, rebuilt a local NPR station, and sees comedy as a vital tool for processing cultural chaos—like the nation’s kidneys filtering emotional truth.


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Guest

D

Dave Chappelle

interview on Up First from NPR

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Dave ChappelleMichelle MartinDick GregoryRichard PryorMaz JobraniMo Amber

Companies

NPRWYSONetflix

Topics

Future Of WorkMental HealthPersonal FinancePop CulturePublic Speaking

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