Dave Chappelle prompts walk-outs with Israel, Hamas comments?

Last Updated on October 27, 2023

Dave Chappelle is no stranger to controversy or close calls with audiences and, judging by a recent show in Boston, that isn’t about to change. According to reports, Chappelle engaged in what was described by one audience member as a “verbal hurricane” stemming from his take on the Israel-Hamas war, itself prompting some attendees to walk out of the performance.

While there are some conflicting accounts on the show, Deadline reports (from a Wall Street Journal piece) that Dave Chappelle “said the US was guilty of aiding the slaughter of innocent civilians, and said war crimes were occurring. Chappelle went on to criticise the Israeli government for cutting off supplies to Gaza’s population, and blocking humanitarian aid.” This, according to some, led to a number of walk-outs out of disgust and fear of safety.

However, Dave Chappelle said no such show even took place on Thursday. That the comedian has a strict no cell phone policy at his shows adds even more mystery to the event and would prevent hard evidence. This, unfortunately, is in line with a lot of media coverage over the conflict, which began just over two weeks ago: not everything is in line and there are conflicting accounts but it won’t stop people from making assumptions and promoting misinformation.

Another piece that has yet to be confirmed involves an audience member yelling, “Shut the f*ck up!” at another, which Dave Chappelle took as being directed at him. As per reports, “That is what triggered more of a reaction from Chappelle, according to attendees. He said the Hamas attacks were not an excuse to cut off water, electricity etc. or commit war crimes.”

Whether the accounts are completely accurate or not, Dave Chappelle seems to be attracting more attention for his comments at concerts than anything else he is working on. In his 2021 Netflix special The Closer, Chappelle made jokes that were considered by some to be transphobic. They even eventually prompted an employee walkout at Netflix, with one employee stating, “We launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups.”

If the accounts are to be believed, what are your thoughts on the situation involving Dave Chappelle’s set?