"I'm Rick James, bitch!"*

I've often been known to complain that the comedy we import from across the pond is by and large shite. My recent appreciation of the brilliance of 'Frasier' has offset that somewhat but the impression remained - and was strengthened by being exposed to both series of Comedy Central's 'Chappelle's Show' at the weekend, a show I'd never heard of. Bizarre, given it's the biggest selling DVD of a TV show ever.

As the name might suggest, it was a vehicle for comedian David Chappelle (not to be confused with David La Chapelle the photographer) and very amusing it was too - childish at times (the episode of 'Kneehigh Park', a 'Sesame St' spoof, featuring Snoop Dogg and the discussion of hard drug use and STDs - cue the dancing crabs!), edgily satirical and potentially controversial at others (the 'What If President Bush Was Black?' sketch, the 'I Know Black People' gameshow). Particularly on the issue of race, Chappelle goes where others fear to tread.

Chappelle walked out of the show when the third series was in pre-production - curiously enough after an episode in the second series had been based on the premise that Chappelle had walked out to be replaced by Wayne Brady. So that was pretty much that. A shame. It's good.

* If you want to know what this title is all about, click here and scroll down.