Comedian Dave Chappelle Criticized by Anti-Defamation League National Director for ‘Saturday Night Live’ Monologue

Dave Chappelle made sure to read a statement at the start of his SNL monologue to “buy time” with the Jewish community, but his opening remarks still landed him in hot water with the Anti-Defamation League.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Chappelle opened Saturday Night Live with a 15-minute monologue primarily focused on Kanye West‘s recent anti-Semitic remarks and the backlash Kyrie Irving faced for sharing a link to a documentary titled Hebrews to Negroes.

“Early in my career, I learned there are two words you should never say together,” Chappelle jokingly said during his opening monologue.

“Those words are…’the’ and ‘Jews.’ Never heard someone do good after they said that.”

“If they’re Black, it’s a gang. If they’re Italian, it’s a mob. If they’re Jewish, it’s a coincidence and you should never speak about it,” Chappelle later joked.

In the wake of the opening monologue, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, took to Twitter to call out Chappelle for allegedly “normalizing” anti-Semitism.

“We shouldn’t expect @DaveChappelle to serve as society’s moral compass, but disturbing to see @nbcsnl not just normalize but popularize #antisemitism,” Greenblatt tweeted.

“Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn? Why does our trauma trigger applause?”

We shouldn't expect @DaveChappelle to serve as society's moral compass, but disturbing to see @nbcsnl not just normalize but popularize #antisemitism. Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn? Why does our trauma trigger applause?

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) November 13, 2022

There continue to be mixed responses to Chappelle’s monologue and the ADL’s claims that the comedian attempted to “popularize” hate speech toward the Jewish community.

“As I understood Chappelle’s monologue, the key point is that there are double standards regarding who can say what about whom,” Rabbi Josh Yuter tweeted.

“If my Twitter feed is any indication, everyone agrees this is a problem though there’s rampant disagreement over the details,” he added.

4. As I understood Chappelle's monologue, the key point is that there are double standards regarding who can say what about whom.

If my Twitter feed is any indication, everyone agrees this is a problem though there's rampant disagreement over the details.

— Rabbi Josh Yuter (@JYuter) November 13, 2022

“I’m Jewish and i really don’t know why everybody’s freaking out about dave chappelle on SNL,” Biz Jewish tweeted.

“He is a comedian whose job is to cross lines. If anything his treatment of Jews was extremely tame compared to any of the other groups he makes fun of. Laugh and move on it’s OK.”

I’m Jewish and i really don’t know why everybody’s freaking out about dave chappelle on SNL. He is a comedian whose job is to cross lines. If anything his treatment of Jews was extremely tame compared to any of the other groups he makes fun of. Laugh and move on it’s OK pic.twitter.com/ceehylKLfm

— Aaron M (@BizJewish) November 13, 2022