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Dave Chappelleand his wife,Elaine Chappelle, have been married for more than two decades.
Despite their lengthy relationship, which began in the ’90s, the couple have kept their relationship and family life extremely private, and not much is known about the early days of their romance.
Elaine rarely appears at public events with Dave, and they keep a fairly low profile living at their home in Yellow Springs, Ohio. They are also parents to three children.
The comedian — who stirred up controversy andreceived backlash from the LGBTQ+ communityafter making transphobic jokes in his 2021 Netflix standup specialThe Closer— has said his family prefers the quiet of their Ohio life. “We don’t live in Hollywood, there’s no paparazzi trying to get their picture,” he said during a 2020 appearance onMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
Here’s everything to know about Dave Chappelle’s wife, Elaine Chappelle.
She’s an extremely private person
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Elaine keeps a very low profile. She’s rarely seen out in public with Dave, and he doesn’t speak about her often in interviews or in his comedy.
She does have a privateInstagram profileand countsChrissy Teigenas one of her nearly 700 followers. Her bio reads, “Proud mom. Proud wife. Loyal friend. Best little sister. Non-infliuencer.”
She and Dave met in Brooklyn
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Dave met Elaine in Brooklyn, New York, before becoming a household name.
“She was with me when I was poor,” the comedian previously joked to Howard Stern. The couple got married in 2001, though they haven’t revealed any details about their nuptials.
She is a mom of three
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Elaine and Dave have three kids together: two sons,SulaymanandIbrahim, and a daughter, Sanaa.
In an interview with The A.V. Club, Dave said having his first son was “the best thing that ever happened” to him.
She and Dave live in Ohio
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Dave might be one of the biggest comedians out there, but he prefers to keep a low profile in his everyday life.
Dave and Elainelive on a 65-acre farminYellow Springs, Ohio. At an Ohio music festival in 2006, he said, “Turns out you don’t need $50 million to live around these parts, just a nice smile and a kind way about you. You guys are the best neighbors ever … that’s why I came back and that’s why I’m staying.”
She didn’t know Dave was going to South Africa in 2005
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In 2005, Dave famously abruptly walked away from the third season of his hit sketch comedy series,Chappelle’s Show, andfled to South Africa, turning down a $50 million deal in the process.
During a 2006 appearance onLate Night with Conan O’Brien,Dave joked about his wife’s reaction to him turning down the contract.
“My wife’s still a little salty at me,” he said. “She’s not mad at me, but don’t think you’re going to walk away from $50 million and your wife’s just going to be cool with that.”
He later talked toOprah Winfreyabouthis decision to walk away. “One, I needed a break,” he recalled. “Two, we have family and friends down there. I felt like it was a place where I could really reflect … and here’s the other thing: I was only gone for two weeks! They made it sound like it was so mysterious.”
He also shared that he didn’t call Elaine before he left. “It wasn’t that I didn’t tell my wife,” he said. “It was [more] like, ‘I’m not telling her until after I’m gone.’ Which was a mistake, but it wasn’t acrazymistake.”
She helps keep Dave in the loop on what people are saying about him
Elaine might stay behind the scenes when it comes to Dave’s career, but she’s also his support system. During a 2017 interview on New York radio station Hot 97, Dave once said hedoesn’t seek outwhat people are saying about him online.
“My wife, if it gets real bad, she’ll let me know, like, ‘Oh, you should look into this,’ " he said. “But for the most part, I try not to pay attention to it … I try to keep my business small enough so it can still be authentic enough.”
She’s made a few public appearances to support Dave
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Elaine has stepped out to support her husband on a few rare occasions.
Elaine was also photographed alongside Dave and supermodelNaomi Campbellat the Dior Homme fashion show in Paris in January 2022.
source: people.com
