World-famous comedian Dave Chappelle hit the stage for an unannounced set at a Columbus, Ohio comedy show by John Mulaney, but not everyone was thrilled about the surprise. Per Variety, the show happened on Friday night as a part of Mulaney’s “From Scratch” tour at the Value City Arena. According to several attendees, Chappelle’s set included jokes about the transgender community, similar to the controversial material featured in the comic’s Netflix specials. Mulaney is also said to have hugged Chappelle on stage after the set.
There were many people in the crowd reportedly laughing at Chappelle’s jokes, but for those who found them offensive, that just made it worse. Some of the attendees have been criticizing Mulaney for allowing Chappelle to perform at the show with at least one person feeling “ambushed” by the surprise appearance. Others describe how unpleasant it felt to be surrounded by laughter for jokes they felt targeted by. Even some people who weren’t there have been turning in their John Mulaney fan cards in light of the reports, feeling they can’t support him any longer.
Dave Chappelle Is No Stranger to Controversy
Netflix
Dave Chappelle garnered a lot of controversy with his Netflix specials. It came to a head with The Closer in 2021, as many felt Chappelle had really crossed the line with some of the material he had included in regard to the LGBTQ+ community. There had even been protests amid mass calls on social media for Netflix to remove the specials and cut ties with Chappelle. However, the streamer has doubled down on its support for Chappelle and continues to work with the comic as he was a headliner at Netflix is a Joke: The Festival.
“It never feels good when people are hurting, especially our colleagues, so I wanted to give you some additional context,” a Netflix memo sent to staffers read following reports of an employee walkout. “You should also be aware that some talent may join third parties in asking us to remove the show in the coming days, which we are not going to do. Chappelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long-standing deal with him. His last special Sticks & Stones, also controversial, is our most watched, stickiest and most award-winning stand-up special to date. As with our other talent, we work hard to support their creative freedom - even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful.”
The memo added, “Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate. We don’t allow titles on Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don’t believe The Closer crosses that line. I recognize, however, that distinguishing between commentary and harm is hard, especially with stand-up comedy which exists to push boundaries. Some people find the art of stand-up to be mean-spirited but our members enjoy it, and it’s an important part of our content offering.”
Meanwhile, John Mulaney fans can check him out as the voice of Chip in the new Disney+ film Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, which was just released this week. He will also be featured in the upcoming animated sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
