Dave Chappelle surprised fans Friday night with a new Netflix stand-up special, Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…, filmed in Washington, DC, and released without warning following the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua struggle.
Taking the stage in a camouflage jacket emblazoned with Colin Kaepernick’s name and number, Chappelle told the crowd, “We have a lot to say,” explaining that he had returned home after Trump deployed the National Guard to the city.
“They’re trying to take chocolate out of Chocolate City…I need to go home while it’s still a town I remember,” he said.
Chappelle also addressed the backlash over his appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, saying, “I got a lot of grief,” before targeting Bill Maher: “I’ve never said this publicly, but fuck that guy. I’m so tired of his smug, disgusting little comment.”
“I don’t feel guilty at all,” Chappelle said, adding that critics accuse him of betraying his principles. He reiterated, “For me, it’s easier to talk in Saudi Arabia than in America,” and joked that “transgender jokes have been very well received in Saudi Arabia.”
The comedian then discussed the news regarding Charlie Kirk, saying, “If you talk for a living and see Charlie Kirk get murdered like that, I’ll be honest, I was shaken,” adding, “I was at home like, ‘Oh no! I’m dead as fried chicken.'”
Chappelle also reflected on Sean Combs’ conviction, noting, “He saved my life” and said of Cassie, “God bless her…what she went through was terrible.”
He finished by telling the crowd, “we are a community and we will stay sane together.”
