Dave Chappelle Helps a Promising New Stand-up Named Will Smith

Will Smith is many things — an actor, a rapper, a genie, and a father to very famous and talented children — but one thing he never was, until now, is a stand-up comedian. In the new episode of his Facebook Watch series Will Smith’s Bucket List, Smith decides to give the tough gig of live comedy a shot because, as he says, “Stand-up is on my bucket list because I’ve always been terrified of it.� Neal Brennan, Rell Battle, Q-Tip, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Michael Che all make appearances throughout the episode, in which Smith turns to stand-up master Dave Chappelle for some tips and advice on what goes into creating a solid stand-up set. (Some of Chappelle’s advice includes “Be interesting all the time,� “Fear is good for comedy,� and “Comics are assholes.�) The episode culminates when Chappelle introduces Smith at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood, where he faces his live-comedy fears in front of a surprised audience as well as a smiling Jada Pinkett Smith seated at a nearby booth. So what lessons did Smith learn from his brief time as a stand-up? “If you are comfortable, you’re not growing … It’s what Buddha called ‘sublime detachment’ — life is so much fun when you don’t give a fuck.�