The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) denounced NBC and beleaguered comedian Dave Chappelle for his recent hosting gig on Saturday Night Live.
The ADL is an international Jewish non-governmental organization specializing in civil rights law. They are headquartered in New York City.
In October 2021, Chappelle, the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, was slammed for making jokes that were largely perceived as homophobic and transphobic on his Netflix show, The Closer.
The backlash from The Closer episode led to Netflix employees staging a walkout in support of the transgender community–claiming that Chappelle's set was an example of the potentially harmful rhetoric leading to transgender inequality and violence targeting transgender people.
Some students of Chappelle's alma mater Duke Ellington School in Washington D.C. also spoke out against the comedian.
Following the comedian's SNL appearance, the Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt–a former Obama administration official–tweeted:
”We shouldn’t expect Dave Chappelle to serve as society’s moral compass, but disturbing to see [NBC and ‘SNL’] not just normalize but popularize antisemitism."
"Why does our trauma trigger applause?”
\u201cWe 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?\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
SNL previously satirized The Closer controversy during a "Weekend Update" segment from a November 2021 episode, stating:
"A Washington D.C. art school is postponing renaming its theater, after alumni Dave Chappelle's Netflix controversy."
"Well, of course, because God forbid, you should name a building after someone problematic in Washington D.C."
SNL writers considered a boycott after Chappelle's hosting duties were announced.
An insider told Page Six:
"They're not going to do the show. But none of the actors are boycotting."
In his opening remarks, Chappelle read from a prepared statement:
"I denounce antisemitism in all its forms, and I stand with my friends in the Jewish community."
He then referred to disgraced rapper Ye's antisemitic tweet last month about going "death con 3 on Jewish people."
Chappelle continued:
"And that, [Ye], is how you save some time."
He added:
"I gotta tell you guys, I've probably been this for 35 years now. And early in my career, I learned that there are two words in the English language that you should never say together in sequence."
"Those words," continued the comedian, "are 'the' and 'Jews.' "
"Never heard someone do good after they said that."
Chappelle made no mention of the transphobic jokes that previously got him in hot water.
You can watch Chappelle's SNL monologue here.
Dave Chappelle Stand-Up Monologue - SNLyoutu.be
Twitter shared their divided thoughts in response to the ADL CEO's concern regarding NBC's hiring of Chappelle for the SNL episode.
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Exactly right Jonathan. It was chilling to watch. No trauma should be laughed at- or made fun of- none.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl bottom line is that Chappelle isn\u2019t funny, and that\u2019s a death knell for a comedian. without any funny material, he resorts to old ethnic tropes disguised as social commentary. weak and lame.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Colossal reach. Who else are you going to try to pin anti-semitism to now? Stop this, man. We all see what you're trying to do.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl The week b4 SNL when a Black man threw rocks thru a window of an NYC Jewish school I wondered if he was influenced by Kyrie and/or Kanye. Now I can add "Dave Chappelle fan." We are way past "it's just a joke" territory. Now @nbcsnl can add anti-Semitism to its trans-hate legacy.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Since when does anybody get a 10 minute monologue on SNL, let alone be allowed to go on an anti semitic rant under the guise of comedy when nothing he said was funny and all of it was mean-spirited beginning with opening words of condemning anti semitism and then mocking it\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Normalizing Jew hatred through social media, humor, main stream media, under the guise of antiZionism, anti media controllers, anti-Hollywood or music industry executives are all ingredients in the ugly stew that ends up with spilled blood. \n\nThis is how it happens. \nAlways.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl I get it. I feel the same way about black sensitivities being denied and diminished. The trauma is real for a lot of folks out here.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl I\u2019ve tolerated a lot of mistakes by @nbcsnl but this was a bridge way too far on several fronts.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
Some, however, thought all the hate against Chappelle was unwarranted.
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl This is getting tiresome going after black celebrities? Did you go after Schumer last week for talking about nazi\u2019s or Howard stern and Sarah Silverman for blackface? Where was this same energy?\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@bob_schaff @JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Bottom line is he has been doing this his entire career to spread awareness on real issues through laughter. Relax. Maybe this isn\u2019t your brand of comedy anymore or never was. But it\u2019s nothing new..and don\u2019t mistake your offended-ness for a lack of talent on his part. Grow up.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl I thought the point was that no one should be off-limits in discussion, comedy, or commentary. We all have to take our licks.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl I watched Saturday night live, and his monologue. I am really confused as to how he was antisemitic? He\u2019s a comedian, and was making a massive sarcasm about the situation. I still didn\u2019t see it as antisemitic. And I was looking for it.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl What trauma have you endured? Your community makes billion from my communities trauma and still does up to this day. Has anyone ever profiled you? Did your race have a negative affect on any aspect of your life? Or did it benefit your life?\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Sorry you don\u2019t understand social commentary and humor. There was nothing antisemitic about his monologue (and yes I\u2019m Jewish) it\u2019s called comedy- it had many layers to it\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl Watched this morning\u2026 Admit to being a huge Chappell fan. Did not feel the set was antisemitic. He gave some to everyone, which is what I\u2019d expect from a comedian who specializes in social commentary.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
\u201c@JGreenblattADL @DaveChappelle @nbcsnl As a Jew I was not offended. I laughed.\u201d— Jonathan Greenblatt (@Jonathan Greenblatt) 1668358799
Chappelle also mentioned Black GOP Georgia Senate nominee Herschel Walker–who will be going head to head with Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock in the runoffs next month since neither candidate reached the state's required 50% of the vote in the general election.
Said Chappelle of the post-midterms climate:
"All of humanity depends on it. The most ominous sign of the midterms I believe would be Herschel Walker, who I don't want to speak badly about because he's Black."
"But I have to admit, he's observably stupid."
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