During a 15-minute opening monologue, comedian Dave Chappelle discussed everything from the Los Angeles wildfires to Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, from the indictment of Sean Combs to a tribute heartfelt to the late Jimmy Carter.
Kick-off Saturday evening liveAfter Season 50’s winter hiatus, Chappelle said that executive producer Lorne Michaels tried to book him as host for the episode after the election, which he vehemently refused. Ultimately, he agreed to a date as early as January 6.
“The moment I said yes, Los Angeles caught fire. And it’s a difficult question, you know what I mean, because I’m tired of being controversial, I’m trying to move on. And it is path “It’s too early to make jokes about a disaster like that,” he said, smoking a cigarette throughout his material and winking.
He went on to comment on the fact that the wildfires were the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history: “Because people in Los Angeles have nice things. I could burn 40,000 acres in Mississippi for $6 to $700.
Regarding the various conspiracy theories circulating, Chappelle said, “There are just too many factors. If you are a rational thinking person, you should at least consider the possibility that God hates these people. Sodomites! But that’s not true because West Hollywood is unscathed, because how can you burn what’s already on fire? »
Chappelle also tested some material regarding alleged UHC shooter Luigi Mangione, Trump’s racist comments about Haitian immigrants (Chappelle himself lives outside of Springfield, Ohio), and the troubled and disgraced rapper Sean Combs, who faces charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, including for his “freak-offs,” drug-fueled sex parties that were allegedly filmed and lasted for days. The latter topic didn’t resonate as much with the crowd, and at one point he tapped his microphone to mime checking the pitch, saying flatly afterward when it elicited a few laughs: “Thank you.” »
Making a joke about freak-offs, Chappelle said he was never invited because of an overwhelming realization: “I thought about it for a minute, I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m ugly. It was a difficult way to find out. Can you imagine if you were me, reading the paper and finding out that everyone in Hollywood was having an orgy behind your back and no one was calling me? Boy, that really hurts.
He later admitted that his face had “snitch energy”, making the joke as he played while masturbating in the corner. “Oh, I seem to say so,” he said.
However, in conclusion, and with a rather sharp and surprisingly heartfelt pivot, Chappelle turned his attention to Carter, recounting a period in his life when he was in the Middle East at the same time the former president was visiting the Palestinian territories in Israel. without security and following the release of his book Palestine: peace, not apartheid.
“I will never forget the images of a former American president walking with little or no security while thousands of Palestinians cheered him on, and when I saw that photo, tears came to my eyes. I said: “I don’t know if he’s a good president, but I’m sure he’s a great man.” »
He went on to turn his attention to the current political environment and address Trump’s impending term: “The presidency is no place for petty people, so Donald Trump — I know you watch the show — man , remember, whether people voted for you or not, they are all counting on you; whether they like you or not, they are all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you. What I mean when I say this is, good luck, please do better next time. Please, all of us, do better next time. Remember your humanity and have empathy for the displaced people, whether they are in the Palisades or in Palestine.
Watch the full monologue below:
