Chappelle's Show

It was a typical summer night. It was around 10PM and nothing really was planned, and there was nothing really exciting to do. Until one text message that I received changed it all. A friend of mine messaged me and had told me that the comedic genius Dave Chappelle, himself, was doing a live and free performance in Portland's own Pioneer Square. Kind of taken back by this, I logged on to facebook to check and see if this was really true. Sure enough there were a few people talking about Dave Chappelle's live performance arranged at midnight in the square that evening. I quickly texted a few friends to inform them about it and we found ourselves in the Square at around 11:30PM.

This was Dave Chappelle's first live performance and public appearance since leaving Comedy Central's hit show, The Chappelle's Show, a few years ago. Arriving at Pioneer Square was a surreal feeling. The square was packed full of people. One of my friends that I was with said that the turn out for Dave Chappelle's alleged performance was bigger than any Blazer rally held in the same square.

As minutes passed by, it seemed to take forever for him to take the stage. No sign of Dave was in sight, let alone a proper stage with equipment for a performance. Fans began to get antsy as some climbed to the top of the Starbucks that over looked the square and flashed the mob of people awaiting Dave Chapelles arrival below. Some climbed on top of the stage and began dancing. Others tried pulling apart the stage as the poles that help up the roof of the stage swung back and fourth.

"If Chappelle dosent show up, lets start a riot!" I overheard a fan say in anger.

Finally, around 12:50AM Dave Chappelle climbed on top of the stage as the crowd roared in excitement. Not nearly prepared for such a large turn out, Dave came with only a small amplifier and microphone to broadcast his performance. Fortunately for my friends and I we managed to slide up to around the 5th row from the stage so we could hear everything the comedic god was saying. A good amount of the performance was trying to get a better sound system for all to hear since only about the first 12 "rows" of people could hear him on the amp.

This was the view of the stage from where my friends and I were standing.

Dave Chappelle stated "One thing I learned today, is to never tell a secret in Portland!" Chappelle only told three people about his performance at the square, the reason why he only brought a small amplifier for his improv stand up. The estimated total attendance was around 5,000 people. Chappelle thanked the power of friends telling other friends, mainly over twitter and facebook for such a large turn out.

The evening was full of confusion, chaos and comedy. Dave Chappelle never seems to let me or his audience down, and I have to thank the internet for such an amazing event which led me to randomly meeting him outside his hotel after the performance! Without the use of twitter, word would not have spread so fast in one day. Without confirmation on facebook, I dont know if I would have even gone. The saying goes once its on facebook- THEN its official! So thanks to those social networking sites, I was able to see and even meet the amazing Dave Chappelle live in person!

Here is a little more info you can find on this event:

http://videos.oregonlive.com/oregonlive/2009/07/dave_chappelle_in_pioneer_squa.html

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/chappelles_show/index.jhtml?source=SEO_SSP_Y&intcmp=SEO_SSP_Y&extcmp=SEO_SSP_Y