The last time I wrote about comedian Dave Chappelle, he had been roundly criticized for a monologue about Kanye West, which many thought itself reeked of antisemitism. I argued why I did not find the routine to be antisemitic, even though I had found his infamous “space Jews” routine from a few years ago to be exactly that.
Now Chappelle is back in the news for all the wrong reasons when it comes to his views on what is going on with Hamas and Israel.
Dave Chappelle triggered a walkout during one of his shows in Boston after he condemned the Hamas attacks on October 7 and criticized Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza.
The comedian, 50, aired his views about the conflict in the Middle East during his performance at the TD Garden arena on Thursday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
He slammed Israel over its response to the attack by Hamas, which has seen over 6,000 bombs dropped on Gaza in less than a week, and accused the country of killing innocent people.
Chappelle also said the US was guilty of aiding the slaughter of innocent civilians during his show and said war crimes were taking place in Gaza.
The comments surfaced after he said he did not think pro-Palestine students who were protesting for a ceasefire should lose their job offers.
Chappelle allegedly denied he was in Boston on Thursday. Dailymail.com has contacted him for comment.
Chappelle condemned the Hamas attacks on October 7, in which 1,400 Israelis were killed and another 200 were taken hostage, before he slammed Israel’s military response, according to audience members.
An audience member told the comedian to shut up and an emotional Chappelle criticized the Israeli government for cutting off water, along with fuel and electricity that power water and sewage plants.
It had also blocked off humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza from Israel.
There were cheers from some audience members who shouted ‘Free Palestine’ while others reacted with ‘What about Hamas?’
Chappelle’s comments led to some people in the crowd getting up and leaving his show.
Near the end of his performance, he said two wrongs don’t make a right in reference to the Hamas attacks and Israel’s response.
An audience member, who walked out of the show, took to social media to criticize Chappelle over his comments.
‘The audience was cheering Chappelle on during his tirade. I was sick. We were sick. I turned to my friends and wife and said I think it is time to go,’ he said.
‘We walked out and met up with many other Jews leaving the show. Never in my life have I felt so unsafe and so fearful of what I was witnessing.’
A spokesman for the comedian said he ‘denies being in Boston last night’.
Bags provided to audience members at the event featured his name on it.
It actually sounds worse if this post by antisemite Suhair Nafal – who claims to have been at his show – is to be believed:
I’ll never watch a damn thing of his again in my life.
