Dave Chappelle and Bowen Yang were back together on Saturday Night Live, and this time things felt much more relaxed. In the closing minutes of the Jan. 18 episode, Chappelle, hosting for the fourth time, shared a warm goodbye with the audience. Cast members and musical guest GloRilla joined him on stage, and in a surprising moment, Chappelle and Yang shared a brief hug.
This hug was their first interaction of the night. Surprisingly, Yang didn’t feature in any sketches with Chappelle during the show. The last time Chappelle made a surprise appearance, it caused quite a stir, particularly when Yang seemed distant, standing across the stage with his arms crossed while the comedian was on. This led many viewers to wonder if he was distancing himself from Chappelle due to the controversies surrounding him. However, Yang later cleared this up, explaining it had nothing to do with physical distance but rather a mix of internal reasons.
In an interview, Yang said, “I stand where I always stand on goodnights. It was about so many things that were completely internal.” When pushed further about whether he felt unhappy with Chappelle’s presence, Yang said he was just confused by others’ reactions during the show.
Chappelle’s presence on the show has been controversial, especially since his 2021 Netflix special, The Closer, where his jokes about the transgender community drew heavy criticism and protests from LGBTQ+ groups. Following this, during his next hosting gig, his monologue faced backlash for allegedly promoting antisemitism.
The recent episode saw Chappelle deliver a lengthy 17-minute monologue. He admitted he had mixed feelings about returning as host, aware of his tendency to create controversy. He shared that SNL’s Lorne Michaels encouraged him to kick off the year’s first show, jokingly mentioning that “the moment I said yes, L.A. burst into flames!”
Chappelle expressed a desire to change his ways, declaring, “I’m tired of being controversial. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf.” Despite this promise, he didn’t shy away from humor related to serious topics, like the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. His comedic take suggested there were “some arsonists” but emphasized that many factors contributed to the catastrophic natural disaster. He lightheartedly remarked, “If you were a rational thinking person, you have to at least consider the possibility that God hates these people… Sodomites!”
Chappelle remains a complex figure in comedy, balancing humor with sensitivity in a world of evolving discussions around representation and respect. The evolving dynamics between comedians like him and peers such as Yang highlight ongoing conversations about safety, comfort, and humor in entertainment.
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