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Instead, Chappelle famously walked away from the series and a $50 million paycheck. He abruptly left during production in 2006, effectively breaking his contract with Comedy Central. He was reportedly unhappy with the direction the show had taken and needed to step away.
But there has been one person who has been with the comedian through it all and that's his wife, Elaine.
Dave and Elaine Chappelle Prioritize Family Over Money
In an interview with Time, Chappelle spoke about moving to Ohio and walking away from his show, saying, "Coming here, I don't have the distractions of fame. It quiets the ego down. I'm interested in the kind of person I've got to become. I want to be well-rounded, and the industry is a place of extremes. I want to be well-balanced. I've got to check my intentions, man.”
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There was much speculation during this time in Chappelle’s life. Fans couldn’t fathom the idea that he’d walk away from his popular and successful show and $50 million. People thought he must have a drug or alcohol problem. Others thought it was a mental health issue that led comedian Dave Chappelle to walk away from it all. That wasn’t the case at all. Chappelle simply reprioritized his life in a way that was better for himself and his family.
Through the media circus that followed Dave Chappelle’s wife Elaine Mendoza stood by him. Dave and Elaine have been married for 21 years. They tied the knot in 2001 and have two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, and one daughter, Sanaa.
Who is Elaine Chappelle?
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Dave Chappelle’s wife Elaine Mendoza was born on August 31, 1974, to devout Christian Filipino parents. (Dave converted to Islam in 1991.) She grew up in Brooklyn and according to various sources, once planned to become a professional chef. Dave and Elaine Chappelle met more than 20 years ago, so she would have been in her 20s. After meeting and falling in love with Dave Chappelle, Elaine chose to devote herself to raising the couple’s three children.
How Did Dave Chappelle and Elaine Meet?
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During an interview with Howard Stern in the early 2000s, Dave Chappelle revealed that he met his then-girlfriend Elaine Mendoza in Brooklyn and at the time he said she was pregnant with his baby. He said that he was immediately interested in her, but she took some time to get to know Dave before committing to the relationship.
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He also revealed that she was Filipino, which led Stern and his co-host Robin Quivers to make some distasteful jokes about Asian stereotypes. Up until this point Dave Chappelle had been a regular guest on Stern’s show and even credited the exposure Stern gave him with helping his career. After they made those so-called jokes about the future Elaine Chappelle, he has continually refused to ever appear on Stern’s show again. Though he publicly says it’s because the show tapes too early in the morning, it feels like he's showing where his loyalties lie – with his wife Elaine Chappelle.
Elaine is Dave Chappelle’s Support System
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Dave and Elaine Chappelle have a strong marriage that has lasted more than two decades so far. Over the years, Dave Chappelle has made many comments about how his wife is his support system. In his final interview with Howard Stern, Chappelle said, “She was with me when I was poor.”
For a celebrity like Chappelle, it is especially important to have a strong support system in place. Fans and the media can be brutal to a public figure like Elaine Chappelle’s husband. She has been with Dave through some rocky parts of his career including when he walked away from Chappelle’s Show and the more recent controversy over the anti-trans content in his standup routine.
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He appreciates the perspective Elaine Chappelle brings to his life and said, "My wife, if it gets real bad, she’ll let me know, like, ‘Oh, you should look into this.’ But for the most part, I try not to pay attention to it because you don’t want to be careful as a comedian. I try to keep my business small enough so it can still be authentic enough.”
Speaking of that $50 million Chappelle walked away from when he quit Chapelle’s Show and voided his contract with Comedy Central – Chappelle did an interview with Conan O’Brien in 2006 during which he talked about it, saying, “My wife’s still a little salty… She’s not mad at me, but don’t think you’re going to walk away from $50 million and your wife’s just gonna be cool with it.”
Where the Married Couple is Today
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Dave and Elaine Chappelle and their three children live on a 65-acre farm in Yellow Springs, Ohio, which is located about 20 miles from the Dayton Metropolitan area. In 2006, Chappelle said, “I used to be cable’s hottest star and now I’m just a Yellow Springs guy. It 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.”
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Chappelle grew up in Yellow Springs, where his father was the dean of students at Antioch College.
By all accounts, Dave and Elaine Chappelle are living a peaceful, quiet, and normal life in Ohio with their children. She keeps out of the spotlight and doesn’t have any social media accounts. They appear to be a grounded couple with mutual love and respect for each other and that’s a beautiful thing.
You Come First: Why Treating Yourself is Healthy, Not Frivolous
“Treat yo-self” has become a popular mantra in today’s world, but why is there so often guilt associated with someone doing something nice for themselves? Everyone deserves to feel pampered and special once in awhile, and it goes beyond the superficial reasons for wanting a treat. In fact, doing something indulgent can have a positive effect on one’s mental health as well as a host of other benefits. In this article, we explore those perks and get to the bottom of why it is not frivolous to treat yourself, but instead is healthy to do so in moderation.
You Come First: Why Treating Yourself is Healthy, Not Frivolous
Deprivation leads to unhealthy feelings and habits
The first reason it’s important to treat oneself is that deprivation is simply not a healthy way to form good habits. Completely cutting out things that are you crave can have the opposite effect than intended when you are aiming to live a healthy and happy life. A life devoid of any indulgences is one that will prompt feelings of resentment, frustration, and depletion.
Thus, those feelings will inevitably lead to breaking a good habit, as the craving for the treat will become so great that one will cease to care about the formation of the habit at all. Instead, a reward or treat should be built into the building of these routines and habits, as these will help individuals stay on track, and to be happy while doing it.
Indulging can rejuvenate you
In a world of constant chaos, it can sometimes be difficult to find ways to avoid burn out and to help yourself feel rejuvenated and reenergized. That is where the role of indulgence comes in. Doing something nice for yourself is an easy way to hit your internal 'reset' button and to motivate you to keep up with all the hard work that goes into your day-to-day life.
While some may associate the words “indulgence” and “pampering” with lavish and costly extravagances, that does not have to be the case. Simply having a home spa day, going for a walk on the beach, or making your favorite meal are all reasonable yet effective ways to center yourself and to feel completely pampered.
It reduces stress
Self-care is an important part of stress management, and treating yourself can do wonders when it comes to reducing your stress levels. Stress can wreak havoc on our bodies, both physically and mentally. It can prompt sleep disorders, increase the risk of hypertension, compromise our immune systems, and increase the risk of cardiac and inflammatory disease. Approximately three-fourths of the human population undergoes some level of stress within each two-week period, making it a prevalent factor in most people’s lives.
However, pampering yourself from time to time negates stress and reminds you that you and your needs are important, too. This can contribute to a higher level of confidence in yourself and your life and it can also contribute to long-term feelings of well-being.
It’ll boost your mood
No one wants to be a grump, but let’s face it -- we all get into slumps once in awhile. To turn a frown upside down, treat yourself in some way, whether it be big or small. Self-care is oftentimes associated with selfishness, which can prompt those pesky feelings of guilt when it comes to indulging. However, that guilt is unmerited as doing something nice for yourself when you’re feeling blue can be just what you need to improve your mood or to turn a day around. Again, these don’t need to be grand gestures, but instead small indulgences or treats can be just as effective in practicing self-care and to help yourself feel better.
You come first
It’s not always easy to prioritize yourself amidst a busy life filled with hustle and bustle. But doing so ensures that you will reduce your stress, boost your mood, and help promote healthy habits throughout your life. Use this opportunity to treat yourself to something fun, relaxing, and completely indulgent -- you deserve it!