Dave Chappelle switched SNL monologue between rehearsal and live show

Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle performed a “fake” Saturday Night Live monologue during rehearsals to conceal his real jokes, it’s been revealed.

US comedian Dave Chappelle performed a “fake” Saturday Night Live monologue during the show’s dress rehearsal, sources said, before switching his material for the live show.

A source told Page Six: “Dave does a fake monologue during the dress rehearsal, because he doesn’t want [SNL creator] Lorne Michaels, or anyone else, to know what his real monologue is.”

The source added that Chappelle made a joke during the dress rehearsal about a writer who refused to work with him as he hosted this week’s show.

It was previously reported that some staff writers were so furious that the comedian, who has made transphobic and homophobic jokes in his past comedy shows, was chosen to host that they were sitting out the episode.

Chappelle’s rep previously told the publication there was nothing to suggest there was any boycott when the comedian and his team attended SNL writers’ meetings in the lead-up to his hosting duties.

But an insider told Page Six that the joke Chappelle made about the objecting writer during the rehearsal “caused tensions to flare”. Either way, the comedian then switched up his monologue for the actual live show.

Chappelle’s jokes were very controversial.

The live 15-minute monologue, however, caused even more controversy for other reasons. Chappelle was blasted by the Anti-Defamation League for “popularising” anti-Semitism with his jokes.

“I denounce anti-Semitism in all its forms and stand with my friends in the Jewish community,” Chappelle said in his opening. “And that, Kanye, is how you buy yourself some time,” he added, referring to the rapper’s recent anti-Semitic rants.

Chappelle’s focus on the topic didn’t stop there. He also touched on Nets star Kyrie Irving’s ban from the NBA team, after the basketball star posted links to an anti-Semitic movie. Chappelle also joked about tropes involving Jewish executives in Hollywood, Jewish holidays, and other related topics.

Jewish activist Rudy Rochman called the Chappelle monologue “a meticulous and calculated move to desensitise the population from anti-Semitism”.

Time Out New York theatre editor Adam Feldman said: “That Dave Chappelle SNL monologue probably did more to normalise anti-Semitism than anything Kanye said.”

But others defended the comic. Stand-up performer Loni Love tweeted: “The Dave Chappelle monologue on [SNL] tonight was the classic stand-up he is known for … current events, timely and funny.”

Reps for Chappelle and SNL did not return a request for comment.

Chappelle last hosted the US sketch comedy show in 2020, before Netflix released his 2021 special The Closer. That angered some viewers because many of Chappelle’s jokes were aimed at the trans community.

This article originally appeared on Page Six and was reproduced with permission