Dave Chappelle's Family Is as Elusive as the Award-Winning Comedian

Dave Chappelle is an instantly-recognizable comedy figure. Between his time on Saturday Night Live, Chapelle's Show, Netflix specials, stand-up comedy tours, and more, Dave has been a huge name in the world of humor for quite some time. His family, however, largely remains a mystery.

Back in October, Dave Chappelle was awarded the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor — one of the highest honors in the industry. Those in attendance were treated to a rare glimpse of Dave's family, as the comedian delivered his acceptance speech alongside his wife and children. Considering Dave keeps many aspects of his personal life on tight lockdown, plenty of fans were likely intrigued to see his family standing there as he accepted the award. And considering the ceremony aired on PBS on Jan. 7, hoards of fans likely had a similar reaction to seeing Dave's family.

Considering Dave keeps many aspects of his personal life on tight lockdown, plenty of fans were likely intrigued to see his family standing there as he accepted the award. And considering the ceremony aired on PBS on Jan. 7, hoards of fans likely had a similar reaction to seeing Dave's family.

So who are Dave's family members, anyway?

Dave doesn't often talk about his wife, Elaine, 45 — but he and Elaine have actually been married for 18 years. She was born on Aug. 21, 1974, to "devout Christian Filipino parents," according to Newsweek. (Apparently, the pair initially met in New York City before tying the knot back in 2001.)

In addition to her presence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — when Dave accepted the Mark Twain Prize — Elaine was also recently spotted at the NBA All-Star game at the Staples Center in 2018. Other than a handful of appearances together, though, Dave doesn't make it a habit to have his wife join him for events.

That brings us to the three children Dave shares with Elaine The couple has two sons, Sulayman and Ibrahim, along with a daughter named Sanaa. 

Although not much is known about Dave's kids — including their exact ages — the comedian has previously opened up about how becoming a father has impacted his life and career.

“Everything changed after I had children," he told CBS News in 2017. "I took my professional life more seriously. And I think, as a dude, I had more depth after I had kids.”

One of the reasons fans don't see or hear very much about Dave's wife and their three kids is the family's location. Instead of living in a high-profile city such as Los Angeles or New York City, Dave, his wife, and their children prefer to reside in the small town of Yellow Springs, Ohio.

This is also where Dave spent part of his own childhood. “Turns out you don’t need $50 million to live around these parts, just a nice smile and a kind way about you,” Dave said in 2006, according to USA Today, while at a music festival in Ohio. “You guys are the best neighbors ever ... That’s why I came back and that’s why I’m staying.”

Although Dave Chapelle prefers to keep his private life, well private, it says a lot that the comedian decided to include his family members while being honored with the Mark Twain Award in October. 

Because although privacy and giving his family a relatively "normal" existence are clearly priorities for Dave, so is being surrounded by his wife and kids as he accepted this once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment.