Dave Chappelle is not without a sense of self-promotion.

From the set of his new Comedy Central endeavor “Chappelle’s Show”, the comedian and Washington D.C. native let no mistake be made that his project is something people are going to want to pay attention to.

“Jan. 22 is the debut, people love it,” he said.

If Syracuse University is any indication, he is right.

His performance in Goldstein Auditorium on Saturday has been sold out for more than a week, proving that the man who has played roles such as the ultra-paranoid Conspiracy Brother in last summer’s “Undercover Brother” and the marijuana-crazed rap star Sir Smoke-a-lot in the nuevo stoner opus “Half Baked” is adept at drawing a crowd.

And he is not shy about it.

“The New York Times said I was incredible,” he added. “The New York Post said ‘That motherfucker was off the hook.’”

Do you ever get sick of being known foremost as ‘that guy from ‘Half Baked’?’

Sometimes. That is one part of me. I mean, I wrote and starred in the movie so if people really like it, that is cool. I just wish Hollywood would have agreed.

What was it like working with Mel Brooks at such an early part of your career (Chappelle played Ahchoo in the parody ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’ when he was only 19)?

I was so grateful for that experience. I love ‘Blazing Saddles’ and the first movie that I remember seeing was ‘Young Frankenstein.’ And he is a really nice guy, too, so for someone that you look up to to think that you are funny was amazing.

How did you get involved with ‘Crank Yankers’?

I bumped into Jimmy Kimmel at a pizza shop and he was like ‘Hey, I am doing this crank call show.’

Do you plan the bits out? How much is ad-lib?

We just list the places that would be cool to call. I was like ‘Aaah, a bed and breakfast! I could make a reservation as Wu-Tang.’ We just try to keep them on the phone as long as possible and go crazy.

Has there been any nasty stuff that didn’t make it on the air?

I feel bad doing it. You have a producer saying, ‘Be meaner,’ but the people are so nice.

What is more satisfying – stand-up, movies or Coke commercials that run before movies?

I love them all. Any place that they allow you to be funny.

How did you end up doing the Coke commercial?

No magical story there. The Coke people liked me, so they talked to my agent. It also helps that my agent handles Coke. Ahhh, sweet, sweet corporate inbreeding!

So what is ‘Chappelle’s Show’? Is it going to be a talk show or more of a variety thing?

I am on the set right now, actually. We are shooting. It is going to be a variety show. I am writing it with my buddy Neal Brennan, the guy I wrote ‘Half Baked’ with. It is going to be cool.

In ‘Killin’ Them Softly’ (Chappelle’s HBO special), you said that you don’t vote. Did you vote last Tuesday?

Nope! [Laughs]. I am not going to be responsible for the bad decisions these people are going to make. No candidate has yet to move me to vote. I would have voted for Clinton in the last election, but he wasn’t running. I would vote for Hillary now because at least I know she is patient.

So where are you registered now? In D.C. still?

Actually in Ohio.

So, if you want to vote for Hillary, then why don’t you register in New York?

Because then I have to pay New York taxes. They charge $8 for a pack of cigarettes in the city. I can just imagine what the other taxes are like.

You are President Chappelle — do you invade Iraq?

Man, I don’t know about that. About the only thing that I could tell you about President Chappelle is that he would probably legalize weed.

I would be remiss if I ignored the inquisitive stoner bloc here on campus, so who is the coolest person you ever smoked up with?

I would have to say, it is highly likely to be Snoop and Willie Nelson on the set of ‘Half Baked.’ I don’t want to go on the record with that, but just say that it was highly likely that that happened.

Published on November 14, 2002 at 12:00 pm