Following closures of comedy clubs and venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the murder of George Floyd, Dave Chappelle began hosting outdoor comedy and music shows in a cornfield in his home of Yellow Springs, Ohio.[2] Chappelle created a COVID-19 bubble to protect artists via testing. The bubble suffered a few COVID-19 exposures.[3] Filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, directors of the documentary American Factory, happen to be Chappelle's neighbours and were asked to direct the film.[4]
Following controversy over jokes made in Chappelle's October 2021 Netflix special The Closer, distributors were not interested in the film and film festivals "uninvited" the film from being screened.[5] Chappelle decided to take the film on tour to be shown in 10 arenas in cities across the United States and Canada[6][7] and will have a limited theatrical run beginning November 19, 2021.[8]
Reception
Chappelle asked critics not to review the film.[9]
In a positive review, Peter Debruge of Variety called the film "an impressive account of how the comedian found a way to host live stand-up shows during the jittery first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, directed by Oscar-winning American Factory duo Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar".[9]
The film has not yet been released to the general public.
