Dave Chappelle stays with Comedy Central

In what could be the biggest talent deal in basic-cable history, comedian Dave Chappelle has re-upped with Comedy Central for two more seasons of “Chappelle’s Show” and will get a hefty cut of its DVD sales.

Total value: at least $35 million.

Though “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” has won more notice this election season, “Chappelle” is Comedy Central’s biggest hit since “South Park.” Renewing it was the channel’s top priority.

The show’s 10-episode second season averaged 3.1 million viewers on Wednesday nights in the spring, helping to boost “South Park” to its biggest audience in years and “The Daily Show” to record highs.

And the first-season DVD is this year’s top TV title, with 1.8 million units racking up retail sales of $43.5 million, according to Video Business.

The renewal includes two more 10-episode seasons, plus two “best of” clip shows and a musical special each year.

The new season is expected early next year, along with the second-season DVD. Chappelle also has a movie pact with Paramount, and he stars in a special Sept. 4 on Showtime.

The deal, capping months of negotiations, comes after rival FX made its own lucrative offer to lure Chappelle, 30. He’ll be paid about $5 million per season, the same range as Stewart’s yearly salary.

But the big payoff is on the DVD end. Comedy Central agreed to make him an equal partner in profits of past and future sales, say those familiar with the negotiations.

“The deal made it very hard to say no,” Chappelle says. “I’m not sure, but I believe there is a clause that gives me reparations for slavery.”

Comedy Central original-programming chief Lauren Corrao says the renewal was a no-brainer.

“We had to have it, no question about it,” she says. “Dave represents everything that works for our network:

“He’s provocative, he’s edgy, he’s smart and he’s incredibly funny.”

Corrao, who declined comment on terms, says Chappelle and executive producer Neal Brennan “deserve to profit from it as well as we do.”

“Chappelle’s Show” combines stand-up comedy with biting character sketches infused with racial humor. Among the most memorable: a send-up of singer Rick James’ battles with Eddie Murphy’s brother, Charlie, and another in which comedian Wayne Brady’s appeal is explained by the notion “he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X.” (A game Brady later appeared on the show.)

After years of failed sitcom pilots, ” ‘Chappelle’s Show’ is easily the best job I’ve ever had in this industry,” the comedian says.

“Comedy Central gave me an opportunity to keep what’s unique about myself intact. This is a lot more fun.”