July 02, 2017
Source/NBC
Dave Chappelle makes surprise appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."
For years now, The Roots' big leap into late night television has consistently proven that the Philadelphia hip-hop legends, always known as a serious and socially conscious group, also have a brilliant sense of humor to play against the wiles of Jimmy Fallon every night.
We've been treated to one-sided "Family Feud" skits and an authentic rendering of the "Super Mario Bros." theme song, but last Thursday's audience was in for a special treat when comedian Dave Chappelle appeared as a surprise guest for The Roots' regular "Freestylin" skit.
Typically, Fallon approaches random members of the audience to conduct brief interviews about their personalities and hobbies. On a moment's notice, The Roots have to spin these tidbits into a Mad Libs-style jingle.
On Thursday night's show, after a Beach Boys-style tune for audience member Sarah, Fallon needlessly squeezed through an aisle and down to the front row to chat with a familiar man named Dave. The audience immediately caught on that it was Chappelle, the resurgent comedian who returned to form recently with a pair of Netflix stand-up specials.
Without spoiling anything, Chappelle's self-deprecation provided perfect fodder for a New Edition-style song led by Black Thought's quick associative thinking.
Chappelle is less than a month away from kicking off a residency at Radio City Music Hall, where he'll be joined by a rotating cast of comedians and musical guests. The Roots will perform in New York with Chappelle on August 2.
