Dave Chappelle Pulls a Fast One on SNL - Producers Realize What's Happening as He Delivers Monologue
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
In 1977, up-and-coming New Wave rock star Elvis Costello took advantage of the comedy skit show “Saturday Night Live” actually being broadcast live from New York to inject some controversy into his set.
While performing as the musical guest, Costello abruptly stopped playing the song “Less Than Zero” and switched into “Radio, Radio,” a song which criticized the enforced conformity of broadcast media. The stunt got Costello banned from “SNL” until 1989.
On Nov. 12, comedian Dave Chappelle made a similar switch when he performed a different opening monologue than the one he had rehearsed earlier.
According to an unnamed source which talked to Page Six, “Dave does a fake monologue during the dress rehearsal, because he doesn’t want [‘SNL’ creator] Lorne Michaels, or anyone else, to know what his real monologue is.”
As the show aired live, Chappelle delivered uncomfortable, controversial jokes about Jewish people, Kayne West, Donald Trump and Hershel Walker.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some viewers may find offensive.
Chappelle opened his set by reading a statement: “Before I start tonight, I just wanted to read a brief statement that I prepared.”
“I denounce anti-Semitism in all its forms, and I stand with my friends in the Jewish community. “
He then added, “And that, Kanye, is how you buy yourself some time,” referring to rapper Kayne West’s troubles after making anti-Semitic comments.
Despite Chappelle’s satirical disclaimer, he was accused of normalizing anti-Semitism with his humor, People reported.
During his monologue Chappelle announced he is a Democrat. That might explain why he based some Trump jokes on the debunked Russia collusion conspiracy and misrepresentations of the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago.
Chappelle also focused on race for some of his gags. “Everything white people mad about, we been on that. Man, I can’t feed my family. We be like, we been on that! Man, we can’t trust the government. We been on that! Man, we should dismantle the FBI. Word to Martin Luther King, bro. We’ve been on that,” he said.
Chappelle’s blunt, politically incorrect humor has caused outrage before.
In 2021, Chappelle’s Netflix special “The Closer” offended LGBT activists by including observations like “Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth,” and “In our country, you can shoot and kill a n****, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings.”
Progressive Netflix employees were so worked up they organized a walkout in protest. However, Netflix did not cave to the pressure. When “The Closer” was released, it ended up in the Nielsen Top 10 streaming charts.
No matter how off-putting some find Chappelle’s humor, it cannot be denied he is taking a strong position on freedom of speech in America.
Chappelle’s coarse commentary is the sort of thing that gets careers cancelled these days, and the comedian puts his livelihood on the line whenever he refuses to self-censor.
The risk goes even further than that. Chappelle has experienced threats and actual violence for daring to get on stage and tell jokes.
In May, Chappelle was tackled during a performance in Los Angeles. The woke DA George Gascon didn’t even charge Chappelle’s armed assailant with a felony.
Chappelle’s performances prove true free speech includes letting people say things you do not like or agree with. He appears to have genuine integrity for upholding the First Amendment — a rare stand in the entertainment industry these days.
The level of Chappelle’s commitment was demonstrated when his alma mater the Duke Ellington School of the Arts wanted to name a theater after him.
Chappelle insisted it be named the “Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression” instead.
In a world where leftists want to rule us by controlling our language, Chappelle’s commitment to free speech is an example to us all. Even if you don’t think he is funny.
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