The controversial comedian appeared as a surprise opener during the superstar double bill at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, discussing his Hollywood Bowl attack amid the night's several Will Smith references.
The controversial comic came out smoking a cigarette without any introduction other than his white, green and red letter “C” logo on the LED screens. The capacity crowd greeted him with abundant applause and cheered whenever he brought up the topic of “cancel culture,” which was frequently.
“Had to sneak my way in here,” he opened, just days after he had to move a Minneapolis show to another venue after the initial space reportedly faced backlash for booking the comedian.
Chappelle assured the crowd that “despite what you may have read about in the news, I’m okay, and I appreciate the support.” He referenced the criticism he’s received since his Netflix special, The Closer, and he “gets it” but then added, “I already spent the money.”
During his 22-minute opening set, he joked about the surreal quality of getting attacked and yelled at his bodyguards for “wearing dress shoes on the job,” griping he would have been safer if they weren’t “sliding all over the place like at a bowling alley.”
He added that he hoped his attacker gets monkeypox in jail—“not that he should die, but his ass should itch for four to six weeks.” Chappelle also claimed the first call he got that night was from Louis C.K., whom he later shouted out, saying, “Louis, even if you get in trouble in the streets, you are my friend.”
Chappelle handed the mic to Chris Rock who did an hourlong set, with Rock passing the mic to Kevin Hart. Both men brought up Will Smith a few times, though Rock leaned on the “cancel culture” theme a little harder. “Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” was one line that brought the house down.
Hart then said he had a gift for Rock, who is 14 years his senior, and presented him with a goat wearing gold chains. “I’m not taking care of that shit!” Rock shouted, as the arena seemingly vibrated with laughter. As Hart spoke sincerely about how he considers Chris Rock to be the Greatest of All Time, Chappelle interrupted to say, “this is the worst night of this goat’s life.”
Rock batted that away: “He’s just happy he’s not at a Jamaican restaurant!”
Around this time, the goat had an accident on stage. “How’s your first night in show business?” Chappelle asked, putting a microphone to the goat’s mouth. At the goat’s lack of response, he asked “what are we gonna call him?”
“Will Smith!” Hart shot back.
