Dave Chappelle (A Star is Born) hosted his third post-election Saturday Night Live episode this week. According to NPR, the comedian/actor is already a controversial guest, as his 2021 Netflix Special The Closer has been under fire for its homophobic and transphobic jokes.
The comedian devoted the majority of his opening statement to making light of America’s recent anti-semitism issues, especially the recent statements made by Kanye West and basketball player Kyrie Irving.
In his opening statement, Chappelle pokes fun at the recent problematic anti-Semitic comments by Kanye West and Kyrie Irving. He says the “delusion that Jews run show business” is “a crazy thing to say out loud” but is “not a crazy thing to think,” via a YouTube video posted by SNL.
The comedian continues, stating “I’ve been to Hollywood and… it’s a lot of Jews. Like a lot. But that doesn’t mean anything! You know what I mean? Because there are a lot of Black people in Ferguson, Missouri, it doesn’t mean we run the place.” (Via Deadline)
Chappelle goes on, saying that he “learned that there are two words you should never say together” early in his career. Those words being “‘the’ and ‘Jews’. Never heard someone do good after they said that.” This statement hints at the recent ties cut with both Irving and West. Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving received a minimum 5-game suspension from the team, and Nike cut all ties with him, allegedly over his Anti-Semitic comments, via the NBA website.
The backlash from Chappelle’s monologue this Saturday seems to be growing, and has even attracted negative attention from Anti-Defamation League CEO Johnathan Greenblatt.
Greenblatt tweeted Saturday morning:
We shouldn’t expect @DaveChappelle to serve as society’s moral compass, but disturbing to see @nbcsnl not just normalize but popularize #antisemitism. Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn? Why does our trauma trigger applause?
The CEO has since posted other tweets on the matter.
Watch Chappelle’s monolgue here: