“F*ck That Guy” Dave Chappelle SLAMS Bill Maher, Calls Out Israel While Defending Saudi Arabia Comedy Show
Comedian Dave Chappelle fired back at critics of his appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, taking aim at Bill Maher and making pointed comments about Israel. The remarks were part of his Netflix special, The Unstoppable, which premiered on December 19.
The controversy stems from Chappelle’s September comments during the festival, where he said, “It’s easier to talk here than it is in America,” referring to performing in Saudi Arabia. Maher criticized him for this, while Louis C.K. also questioned the claim. Chappelle, who has previously faced serious backlash and threats over jokes about transgender people, responded during his special.
“I didn’t tell them to put this in the paper. I just said it on stage,” Chappelle said. “I said, ‘It’s easier to talk in Saudi Arabia for me than it is in America.’”
Chappelle directed strong words at Maher, saying, “I’ve known Bill since I was like 18 or 19, and I’ve never said this publicly, but fck that guy. I’m so fcking tired of his little smug cracker ass commentary. These motherf*ckers act like because I did a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia, I somehow betrayed my principles.”
He acknowledged the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents but also criticized what he described as hypocrisy, noting, “Israel’s killed 240 journalists in the last three months, so I didn’t know y’all was still counting.” (The figure references UN reports on journalists killed during the conflict in Gaza.)
The Riyadh Comedy Festival included over 50 comedians, including major U.S. performers such as Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, and Aziz Ansari, with some reportedly earning up to $1.75 million. Many in the comedy world criticized their participation due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. Chappelle defended his choice and his statements about the festival, saying, “I stand ten toes on that.”
He also reflected on his experiences in the U.S., saying, “Don’t forget what I just went through. Two years ago, I almost got canceled right here in the United States for transgender jokes. But I gotta tell you something, transgender jokes went over very well in Saudi Arabia.”
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