Dave Chappelle comments on Charlie Kirk, Saudi Arabia in new special
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Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY December 20, 2025 at 11:16 PM
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Dave Chappelle is no stranger to controversial comedy, so fans and critics likely won't be surprised his new special tackles topics including the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk and his own decision to perform in Saudi Arabia.
In a surprise Netflix special titled "The Unstoppable" that dropped Friday night, Dec. 20, Chappelle spoke candidly about the conservative commentator who was fatally shot at a Utah college campus in September.
"And the whites were quick to say this. They said, 'Charlie Kirk is this generation's Martin Luther King.' No, he's not. Yeah, that's a reach. You know, they both got murdered in a terrible fashion. They both got shot in the neck, but that's about where those similarities end," he said.
the debut of Netflix's "Being Eddie" during the premiere on Nov. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. The new documentary film on the comedy legend's life is available to stream on Netflix.
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Eddie Murphy's friends and family helped celebrate the debut of Netflix's "Being Eddie" during the premiere on Nov. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. The new documentary film on the comedy legend's life is available to stream on Netflix.
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1 / 10See Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and more stars at the 'Being Eddie' Netflix premiere
Eddie Murphy's friends and family helped celebrate the debut of Netflix's "Being Eddie" during the premiere on Nov. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. The new documentary film on the comedy legend's life is available to stream on Netflix.
Chappelle, 52, called Kirk an "internet personality" and a "wholesome white guy" whose assassination was troubling.
"If you talk for a living and see Charlie Kirk get murdered that way. I'll be honest, I was shook," he said.
Comedian and actor Dave Chappelle looks on during Netflix's Canelo v Crawford Fight Night at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 13, 2025 in Las Vegas.
Chappelle also addressed how he and other comedians, like Bill Burr and Kevin Hart, were slammed for performing at Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival. The 14-day event overlapped with the seventh anniversary of the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national and U.S. resident who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018.
Chappelle echoed previous sentiments, saying it's easier to perform in the Middle East than it is in the U.S., adding, "But I’ve gotta tell you something — transgender jokes went over very well in Saudi Arabia."
In the United States, Chappelle has faced backlash for jokes about transgender people in previous specials.
“I’ll take money from Saudi Arabia any day just so I can say no over here. It feels good to be free," he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dave Chappelle's surprise special 'Unstoppable,' mentions Charlie Kirk
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
