Dave Chappelle talked about many topics during his 15-minute monologue when hosting the January 18 episode of Saturday Night Live, but one topic that he usually talks about was noticeably absent: trans people. Now, we know why.
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While speaking at the first of his three stand-up appearances at San Francisco's Masonic, Chappelle alleged that while on SNL, he was not allowed to speak on two issues: Gaza and transgender people, per SFGate's Dan Gentile.
Gentile, who attended the show, reported that Chappelle said he was told by SNL producers to not broach the two topics during his monologue. Chappelle didn't bring up trans people but did end his monologue saying, "Do not forget your humanity and please have empathy for displaced people, whether they're in the Palisades or Palestine" in a message to President Trump.
Chappelle has spoken extensively about trans people in several specials — even dating back to the early 2000s. In his specials he's compared trans people to Rachel Dolezal, said he's "Team TERF," compared trans women's genitals to fake meat, and compared being trans to method acting.
Other comedians, like Wanda Sykes and Michelle Buteau, have called out Chappelle's jokes. Specifically, Buteau said in her most recent special Michelle Muteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall that, "It can be done. We can tell jokes and stories and not disparage a whole community."
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