Dave Chappelle goes after disabled community in 'The Dreamer': 'I love punching down'
Dave Chappelle picked a new target for his latest Netflix standup special: the disabled community.
Chappelle's new special "The Dreamer" debuted on the streaming service Sunday, two years after his 2021 Netflix special "The Closer," which received backlash for his remarks about the LGBTQ+ community, particularly focusing on transgender people.
The 50-year-old comedian addressed the controversy in "The Dreamer," telling the audience, "If you guys came here to this show tonight thinking I’m gonna make fun of those people again, I’m not (expletive) with those people anymore. It wasn’t worth the trouble. I ain't saying (expletive) about trans people. Maybe three or four times, but that is it."
Dave Chappelle compares Jim Carrey method acting to trans community
Chappelle did squeeze in several jabs at the trans community at the start of his new special. In one joke, he discussed meeting his idol Jim Carrey while visiting the set of "Man on the Moon." Carrey portrayed the late comedian Andy Kaufman in the 1999 movie.
"I was very disappointed because I wanted to meet Jim Carrey and I had to pretend he was Andy Kaufman all afternoon. It was clearly Jim Carrey. I could look at him and clearly see it was Jim Carrey," Chappelle said, recalling how Carrey stayed in character off-camera. "I say all that to say … that's how trans people make me feel."
Chappelle went on to declare the new marginalized community he planned to focus "The Dreamer" on. "Tonight, I'm doing all handicapped jokes. They're not as organized as the gays and I love punching down," he said.
The comedian's jabs about disabled people included a bit about Madison Cawthorn, a paraplegic and former North Carolina Republican representative. He alleged to have met Cawthorn, joking, "Then I just walked away. I wanted him to see me do something he couldn't do. I skipped."
Dave Chappelle jokes about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, his own attack
Chappelle switched gears, dedicating a significant amount of time in "The Dreamer" to discuss the infamous moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars ceremony.
"I was offended. I wasn't just offended he got slapped. That was only half of it. The real offensive part was after the slap Will just sat down and enjoyed the rest of his evening," Chappelle said.
Chappelle said he initially made fun of Rock for the way he handled what became dubbed as "The Slap." "Everything’s funny until it happens to you."
In May 2022, Chappelle was attacked onstage at the Hollywood Bowl during the Netflix Is A Joke festival. Isaiah Lee, who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after pointing a replica handgun at Chappelle, told the New York Post the comedian's set was "triggering" for him. Lee denied having the weapon drawn when he approached the comedian.
"We gave that kid a good wallop," Chappelle said in "The Dreamer," referring to the moment his security team stepped in and pummelled the assailant. He jokingly added that Rock was fuming from backstage because nobody interfered at the Oscars.
"I do now know what Will Smith would not have done and that is enjoy the rest of his evening," Chappelle closed the joke.