Dane Baptiste: "I Had Chappelle At My Club And They Wouldn't Let Me Meet Him"

View the images in order, here! https://canva.link/4eacwrp87m3qfxhI've known Dane Baptiste for 20 years. I watched him find five minutes at the beginning of my Sunday Show when nobody knew his name. I watched the crowds not get it. I watched him come back anyway. This conversation is the full story, from his first day at Haberdashers, to being the only deadpan Black British comic in a room full of animated performers, to writing a sitcom that got picked up by Fox and Apple, to walking into Paramount and HBO alone because his seven-months-pregnant manager couldn't walk any further.We talk about:Growing up as the first male in a generation of cousins — raised in a matriarchyThe Sunday show years: following Jay Pharoah, competing with Usain Bolt's world record, going on after a biscuit eating competitionWhy admitting you take the bus was a passion killer in Black British cultureFinding his deadpan voice when every Black comic was expected to be animatedSteph McGovern giving him a TV segment when nobody else in the industry wouldWriting Sunny D and pitching it to Lionsgate, Fox, Apple, HBO, Paramount — with no writers, no teamKeenan Ivory Wayans and Saladin Patterson joining the projectThe actress from Sunny D who passed away from bowel cancerBeing misrepresented and the crisis of confidence and depression that followedMeeting Dave Chappelle on Valentine's Day with David Haye — the full circle momentMo Gilligan: timing, craft, and why his crossover workedWhy he left his management and what independence looks like nowThis is 20 years of friendship in one sitting. If you care about Black British comedy, the entertainment industry, or what it actually takes to build something when nobody's behind you, this one's for you.LINKS:Dane Baptiste: @danebaptiste on InstagramMarvyn: @themarvynharrisonpodcast / @dopeblackdadsYouTube: https://youtu.be/gy3ZrUnG0RM Welcome to The Marvyn Harrison Podcast — a story-driven conversation exploring identity, fatherhood, masculinity, relationships, culture, politics, sport, and modern life.In each episode, Marvyn Harrison sits down with leading thinkers, creatives, athletes, policymakers, and cultural voices to unpack the defining moments that shaped them. Through image prompts, structured storytelling, and revealing game segments, guests explore pivotal memories, career turning points, personal struggles, and the beliefs that guide their decisions today.Expect honest discussions on mental health, family dynamics, leadership, equity, ambition, resilience, and the realities of navigating success in Britain and beyond.This is a podcast about clarity, where lived experience meets sharp cultural insight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.