Dave Chappelle’s (Chappelle’s Show) latest Saturday Night Live monologue seamlessly blended humor with heartfelt reflection, leaving audiences laughing and inspired. Opening with his signature wit, Chappelle walked out smoking a cigarette and joked about how he initially turned down SNL creator Lorne Michaels’ (The Kids in the Hall, 30 Rock) offer to host after the 2024 election, according to CNN. “I said, ‘Nah, I’m good,’” he quipped, explaining that he eventually agreed when he saw the opportunity to retire some of his old jokes about Donald Trump. Shifting gears, he poked fun at Sean “Diddy” Combs, laughing about his exclusion from the rapper’s infamous “freak-off” parties. He teased that he had “snitch energy.” “I look like I’ll tell.”

After lightening the mood with humor, Chappelle transitioned into a moving story from his past. Reflecting on a time he spent in the Middle East years ago, Chappelle shared how the late President Jimmy Carter made an unforgettable impression on him. “I was in the Middle East years ago, after I quit my show. I was trying to find out what I wanted to do with my life,” he recalled. During that time, Carter visited Israel to promote his 2006 book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Despite warnings from the Israeli government about security risks, Carter insisted on visiting a Palestinian territory. “And man, Jimmy Carter went anyway,” Chappelle said. “I will never forget the images of a former American president walking with little to no security while thousands of Palestinians were cheering him on.”

The emotional story drew applause from the audience, setting the stage for Chappelle’s direct message to President-elect Donald Trump. “The presidency is no place for petty people,” he said, urging Trump to embrace his responsibilities with empathy and humility. He added that whether people “voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you. Whether they like you or not, they’re all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you.” Chappelle added, “Please, do better next time. Please, all of us, do better next time. Do not forget your humanity and please have empathy for displaced people, whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine,” referencing the recent Los Angeles wildfires that devastated Southern California.

The episode closed with GloRilla (“F.N.F,” “TGIF”) as the musical guest, while Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown, Dune) is set to host and perform double duty in next week’s Saturday Night Live episode.