Chappelle says stress made him walk away from Comedy Central

CHICAGO -- Comedian Dave Chappelle told Oprah Winfrey he was stressed out and not crazy or on drugs when he abruptly left his hit Comedy Central show last spring during production.

In his first television interview since ditching "Chappelle's Show" in May, Chappelle said that after he signed a $50 million deal for the third and fourth seasons in August 2004, too many people were trying to control him and his show.

"I wasn't crazy, but it is incredibly stressful," Chappelle, 32, said during his appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Friday.

"I felt in a lot of instances I was deliberately being put through stress because when you're a guy who generates money people have a vested interested in controlling you," Chappelle said.

Last May, with the premiere date looming for the third season, Chappelle stunned his fans and the entertainment industry by leaving the show in mid-production. He spent two weeks in South Africa before returning home to his farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio, about 75 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Chappelle has since resumed performing live standup.

The provocative and sometimes raunchy comedian denied reports that his mysterious departure was caused by mental or drug problems.

Chappelle stressed that the fame that grew as his show become increasingly popular wasn't the problem, but instead he felt awful going to work.

"I would go to work on the show and I felt awful every day," he said. "I felt like some kind of prostitute or something."

The comedian did not rule out returning to film the rest of third and fourth seasons of "Chappelle's Show" but only under certain circumstances. For example, Chappelle said he would like to donate a portion of the proceeds from DVD sales to the less fortunate.

The status of his show has hung in limbo since May. Comedy Central announced in December that four half-hour episodes of "Chappelle's Show" -- based on what Chappelle taped before leaving the production -- will premiere in weekly airings this spring. A full season would have been between 10 and 13 episodes.