Dave Chappelle, the famous comedian and actor, has denied the rumors that he made controversial comments about the Israel-Hamas conflict during his recent show in Boston, Deadline reports. He said that the media reports were based on hearsay and not on his actual words.
Chappelle was at the North Carolina Comedy Festival on Wednesday (Oct. 25) when he addressed the issue. He said that he was in trouble with the Jewish community because of the false allegations. He claimed that no one could quote him verbatim because he did not allow phones at his shows.
“I cannot express this enough: No matter what you read about that show in Boston, you will never see quotation marks around anything I said. They don’t know what I said. It’s all hearsay,” he said, according to The New York Times.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that some audience members walked out of Chappelle’s show in Boston when he mentioned the Middle East. The report also said that he accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza and criticized its blockade of humanitarian aid. He also allegedly expressed support for Palestine and received cheers from some fans.
Article Continues BelowDave Chappelle did not confirm or deny these claims, but said that he would not repeat what he said in Boston. He said that he was aware of the gravity of the situation in Israel and Palestine and that he prayed for both sides.
“What’s happening in Palestine is a nightmare. The situation in Israel is a nightmare. There’s only two kinds of people in the world: people who love other people and the people that have things to make them afraid to love other people. Pray for everyone in Israel. Pray for everyone in Palestine,” he said.
Chappelle is known for his outspoken and provocative style of comedy, which often tackles social and political issues. He has also faced backlash and criticism for some of his jokes, especially about transgender people and sexual assault victims.