Opinion: Dave Chappelle's Stage Exit - Holding Disobedient Audience Members Accountable
Dave Chappelle's recent walk-off during a comedy routine sparked debate As a former comedian, Dean Obeidallah defends Chappelle's actions, acknowledging his controversial past but asserting that he had valid reasons
Editors Note: Former attorney Dean Obeidallah hosts SiriusXM radios daily program "The Dean Obeidallah Show." Follow him on Threads. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion at CNN.
I don't typically blame the audience when things go off script. This holds true for me in my current work with the media, just as it did back in my days as a full-time comedian.
Dean Obeidallah
CNN
But in the case of Dave Chappelle walking off the stage during his stand up show last week in Florida it was, in my view, 100% the fault of the audience member.
Chappelle was set off by a cell phone being used to record his act, despite explicit warnings not to do so. Every audience member had been warned online and at the venue that recording devices were banned.
The audience was given specific instructions by the DJ who introduced Chappelle, DJ Trauma, to refrain from recording any part of the show. Along with numerous warnings, all attendees were mandated to place their phones in a special bag that was locked prior to entering the venue.
Host Pete Davidson during the Cold Open on Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Will Heath/NBC/Getty Images
Pete Davidson's plea for the audience member to surrender their recording device was perfect, despite the fact that they did not comply. The 7,000-seat venue allowed Dave Chappelle to spot the individual recording the show with a cell phone camera from the stage.
During his performance, Chappelle reprimanded a member of the audience and alerted security. However, he became so frustrated with the incident that he left the stage before completing his act.
What some may not understand is that Chappelle and comedians of his caliber are not only focused on getting laughs, but also on the business side of their craft. This is why comedians like Chappelle, Chris Rock, John Mulaney, and others have been implementing policies requiring audience members to lock their phones in a pouch to prevent recording of the show.
These measures are implemented partly to prevent people in the audience from recording new material a comedian is developing that isn't ready for primetime. This was the specific point Chris Rock emphasized back in 2014, noting that all comedians, even famous ones, need to "workshop" new jokes while they refine their material and eliminate lines that simply are not funny.
Dave Chappelle host Saturday Night Live (NBC)
NBC
Trump's followers adore him, and Dave Chappelle has articulated the reasons why. For instance, in 2014, Rock was bothered by people recording him as he worked on new material, to the point where he reportedly walked off stage after scolding a few audience members for recording him.
Additionally, there is the worry that if individuals can view a famous comedian's current tour for free on a pirated video, they may be less inclined to purchase a ticket or may attend but then express dissatisfaction that they are already familiar with the jokes. This is especially relevant in the case of Chappelle, given his lucrative deal with Netflix that reportedly pays him $20 million per stand-up special. With the release of his 7th special, "The Dreamer," on December 31, the concern is heightened that if audience members were to record his tour and share videos of the content online prior to the Netflix release, it could potentially detract from the show's viewership.
But there's another factor at play here. Some well-known comedians are wary of being recorded on stage for fear of accidentally making offensive remarks that could damage their careers or lead to public backlash. In fact, Rock emphasized this concern when he walked off stage in 2014, telling Vulture that the knowledge of being constantly recorded, especially when testing out new material, can lead comedians to censor themselves. According to Rock, in the past, comedians had the freedom to push boundaries in search of humor, but with cameras everywhere, it feels like there is no leeway for error.
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In Chappelle's case, it's doubtful that this was his reasoning for being one of the first comedians to insist that audience members lock their cell phones away during his shows. Chappelle's history indicates a tendency to court controversy, evident from his past Saturday Night Live monologues about Kanye West's anti-Semitic remarks and Donald Trump's then-new presidency, as well as jokes about the transgender community in his 2021 stand-up special that sparked a backlash. Even without audience members recording his act, Chappelle is aware that his jokes and comments will grab headlines, given his stature and his tendency to tell provocative jokes that can upset people. This includes his most recent standup show on Netflix, which premiered on New Year's Eve.
Despite courting controversy, it hasn't seemed to have any negative impact on Chapelle's career. In fact, it may have actually propelled it forward. This is evident from the fact that he was the highest-earning comedian of 2023, raking in $62 million from 31 ticketed shows that year. This figure does not even include his earnings from co-headlining shows with Chris Rock. Whether people love or hate his jokes, Chappelle remains undeterred by any backlash, as he stated last year: "The more you say I can't say something, the more urgent it is for me to say it."
