Removing one’s creativity is robbing him or her of his or her humanity. Fans build you up and the shadowy figures tear you down.

MTV’s “Diary” featured moments in the lives of the top celebrities. The show had the motto “you think you know, but you have no idea.” These words are profoundly true as Dave Chappelle’s life indicates.

By now, most everyone knows that his name was linked to a $50 million contract for seasons three and four of his self-titled variety show. He promptly walked away from that money after only four episodes worth of material for season three and went to Africa.

It is easy to say and think he is crazy. Who walks away from $50 million? As Chappelle pointed out on “Oprah” and then “Inside the Actors Studio,” it is dismissive and offensive to call someone crazy. No one gets to the level Chappelle was at by accident; it is mostly hard work, strength and intelligence.

Why would someone walk away from $50 million? It’s a short answer with a long explanation. The money isn’t worth it.

What could possibly outweigh that bankroll? At the essence of any artist — or in this case comedian — is creativity. Creativity is the keystone of humanity. Removing one’s creativity is robbing him or her of his or her humanity.

Fans build you up and the shadowy figures tear you down. Shadowy figures can be defined in this instance as people with money (production companies) and vested interests (prominent black people).

The buildup should be obvious to college students. Two years ago anyone within earshot of a college campus probably heard the Rick James quotes well into the morning.

The more tangible result of Chappelle's success can be measured by the fact that the DVD for the first season remains one of the bestselling TV DVD package of all time almost two years after its release.

The destruction comes at the hand of the production companies. American entertainment is a serious global business and it is managed by only six predominant studios.

Chappelle referred to himself and the acting union as “whores,” a common metaphor. Pimps and prostitutes to producers and performers. That analogy alone should make is easy to understand why one would walk away from the money.

But Chappelle unfortunately cannot be viewed simply as a successful entertainer, but a successful black entertainer. His race should not matter, but there are successful blacks who have interests in furthering an agenda.

The agenda is positive: to aid and develop fellow members of their race. People like Bill Cosby have disdain for Chappelle’s comedy style because it perpetuates racial stereotypes. Cosby — and other prominent blacks who have spoken out against “Chappelle's Show” — fears that stereotypes will be looked at in a positive way and therefore upheld. He, as well as Chappelle, would like to eliminate these generalizations.

But people with the same goal usually run into the problem of how to achieve that goal.

America will never get over its problems by pretending they do not exist. “Chappelle’s Show” was good because it got people talking either for or against his style — a style heavily in jokes about race relations. Discourse is the most civilized way to solve a problem and institutionalized racism is a blatant problem.

Dave Chappelle mentioned or alluded to all of these issues in his two television interviews with an admirable candor. It was refreshing to see a celebrity address an incredibly large number of people with the honesty usually reserved for family and close friends.

He made it clear that fame is a four-letter word. You think you know, but you have no idea what is like to walk away from $50 million because you no longer feel human.

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