When the first episode of ‘Chappelle’s Show’ aired in 2003, it wasn’t clear that Comedy Central had stumbled upon a cultural and commercial goldmine. Nevertheless the pilot episode immediately established the series’ central theme – no holds bar racial satire. Dave Chappelle's controversial sketches, such as the infamous ‘Roots’ bit, triggered a multi-racial, multi-generational audience reaction. By season two, ‘Chappelle’s Show’ was Comedy Central’s biggest hit and season one’s DVD, became the best selling comedy DVD of all time. But with all the success and a $50 million dollar contract for season three, Chappelle made an abrupt exit. In an interview with Christopher John Farley in TIME Magazine, the comedian said: "If you don't have the right people around you and you're moving at a million miles an hour you can lose yourself." Speculation aside, one thing is certain: ‘The Lost Episodes’ of ‘Chappelle’s Show’ are Chappelle lite.

Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings, two of the shows regular players, were put in the uncomfortable position of guest hosting the final season in Dave’s absence. “When we go on the road, a lot of fans of the show come out and support us. If they’re going to show these episodes and Dave’s not going to be there, it falls into [our] laps,” said Murphy in a recent interview with Black Voices.

Questions surrounding Chappelle’s exit have become stale for the two, and Murphy and Rawlings defend their decision to co-host the show. “I didn’t feel like it was a takeover,” says Murphy. “It was like we stood in for Dave. For whatever reasons, between him and Comedy Central, he couldn’t be there. These sketches were going to be shown anyways. We wanted to be there because we were part of the show. It’s better for it to be us on these three episodes, than it to be someone who’s not even involved [with the show].”

Added Rawlings: “At first I was a little apprehensive because it’s a big step, especially because everybody is crazy about Dave. I think it’s nice closure on the show. It’s almost like the fans forced this to happen. They wanted it, they really wanted it.”

Rawlings also expressed his gratitude to Chappelle and Comedy Central, and credits the show as his first big break. “The first thing you hope you can get in this business is enough popularity where at a minimum; you can be a working comic. That’s happened now. I was funny on other stuff I did, but [‘Chappelle’s Show’] was the hot s%@#. It’s the difference between hitting a hundred home runs in the minor league, and getting an RBI in the major leagues. More people see you do your thing.”

While the first “Lost” episode awkwardly works in Chappelle’s absence as a joking point, the second episode features a sketch that was apparently the straw that broke Chappelle’s $50 million back. Pixie-like figures, played by Chappelle, appear throughout several scenes poking fun at the characteristics of African Americans, Latinos, Asians and Caucasians. The sketch’s airing is followed by an excerpt from the TIME Magazine interview, in which Chappelle identified it as perpetuating negative stereotypes. Murphy and Rawlings also engage the audience in a Q&A session about how they feel about the material. One woman found support from fellow audience members when she said: “Even though Comedy Central is trying to be a responsible comedy show, you have to stick to the goal – making people laugh.”

Murphy and Rawlings have become more recognizable since it was announced that they would be co-hosting ‘The Lost Episodes,’ and it has paid off in more ways than one for the dynamic duo. Comedy Central recently began production on ‘Charlie vs. Donnell,’ an ‘Amazing Race’ style reality show where the two go head to head in what are likely to be some outlandish stunts.

“We’re going to be playing for different challenges,” says Rawlings, “one of the bragging points is that whoever wins, they get the top billing on the name of the show. It starts Charlie vs. Donnell, but if I win, it’s Donnell vs. Charlie. I plan on winning every episode, so Charlie will get the premier, I’ll just bring it home.”

Murphy added, “They were asking us questions like who do you think is a better chef? Who do you think is a better marriage counselor? Who do you think is a better boxer? Better lover? Better politician? All these things, you’re pitting one guy against the other. [Maybe one] week we’re going to see which guy could be a better politician. So we would have to be politicians that week and we’d have to out-do one another as politicians, and the humor would come in. Me and Donnell, the way we deal with each other is very funny. That’s something that sprung from us being on the road together.”

Both Murphy and Rawlings also have roles in the upcoming film ‘Twist the Cap,’ slated for release in 2007.

At the end of the second episode, Murphy declares that he is definitely not mad at Chappelle. After all, if it wasn’t for Chappelle, we would still be referring to him as “Eddie’s brother.” Rawlings echoes Murphy’s feelings. “It’s definitely going to be a huge opportunity for people to get to know Donnell Rawlings,” he says. “They’re still going to like Ashy Larry, but they’re going to get to know Donnell Rawlings. I’m excited that people are going to know my name.”