Dave Chappelle jokes that Michael Jackson’s accusers were lucky to be abused by star

Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special contains a joke that has upset many — and now the target has revealed he’s been left “heartbroken.”

US comedian Dave Chappelle has sparked controversy by claiming the men who accused Michael Jackson of molesting them as boys were lucky to be abused by the King of Pop.

And the accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, have today responded to the comments, Safechuck saying he’s “heartbroken.”

Chappelle was appearing in Sticks & Stones, his fifth Netflix special in the last two years, in which he discusses what he dubs “celebrity hunting season” and the growth of so-called cancel culture, The Sun reports.

“This is the worst time ever to be a celebrity,” he says. “You’re gonna be finished. Everyone’s doomed.

“Michael Jackson’s been dead for 10 years, and this n*****’s got two new cases.”

Chappelle was referencing the release earlier this year of Leaving Neverland, a major documentary investigating the claims of child abuse that surrounded the singer for decades prior to his death in 2009.

The film, by British director Dan Reed, is based on a series of interviews with Wade Robson, 36, and James Safechuck, 41, both of whom say Jackson abused them when they were dancing proteges of his in the 1990s.

Michael Jackson and James Safechuck.

Jackson and Wade Robson.

It contains graphic accounts of the men’s relationship with Jackson and the abuse they suffered.

In the special, Chappelle discourages his audience from watching the film, saying: “Don’t watch it … it’s f***ing gross … really nasty sh*t.”

He then continues: “I don’t think he did it, but you know what? Even if he did do it … you know what I mean? I mean, it’s Michael Jackson.

“I know more than half the people in this room have been molested in their lives, but it wasn’t no goddamn Michael Jackson, was it?”

In statements published by TMZ, both Robson and Safechuck condemn Chappelle for the routine.

“He can say whatever he wants. It reveals him, not us,” said Robson.

“I’m heartbroken for all those children who look to see how they will be received when they finally find the courage to speak out about their sexual abuse. I just want to reach out to other survivors and let them know that we can’t let this type of behavior silence us. Together we are strong,” said Safechuck.

In the routine, Chappelle adds he also doubts Safechuck’s and Robson’s accounts because Macaulay Culkin, the child star from the Home Alone film series and a good friend of Jackson’s, maintains he was never molested by the singer nor witnessed him molest anyone else.

Chappelle said: “I’m not a paedophile. But if I was, Macaulay Culkin’s the first kid I’m ******* — I’ll tell you that right now.”

Dave Chappelle is one of the world’s most popular comedians.

Social media users were quick to react to Chappelle’s routine.

One expressed outrage, tweeting: “@DaveChappelle, there is comedy then there is what you did, which is disgusting!!!”

Another said: “Really struggling to wrap my head around this Chappelle routine. It’s okay if Michael Jackson was an abuser because he was super famous.”

But others responded positively to the show, leaping to the funnyman’s defence.

“Dave Chappelle is a master craftsman and national treasure,” said one.

“I love Dave Chappelle. Keep doing you,” said another.

Chappelle’s special is available now to watch on Netflix.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission