Renowned comedian Dave Chappelle has breaks his silence regarding a viral 2023 encounter with Representative Lauren Boebert, accusing the Colorado Republican of “weaponizing” his image to fuel anti-transgender political rhetoric.
In an interview aired Wednesday on NPR’s Newsmakers podcast, Chappelle confirmed he used a 2023 performance at Washington’s Capital One Arena to publicly criticize Boebert. The rebuke followed an Instagram post by the congresswoman that featured a selfie with Chappelle and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), captioned: “Just three people who understand that there’s only two genders.”
The incident occurred in November 2023 during Chappelle’s visit to Capitol Hill to discuss current events with lawmakers. Chappelle told host Michelle Martin that while he took photos with members from both parties, Boebert’s immediate use of the image for political signaling crossed a professional line.
“She instantly, like, weaponized it, or politicized it,” Chappelle said during the podcast. “I got to the arena, and I lit her ass up for doing that. She should never do that to a person like me… get me out of the splash zone.”
Chappelle, 52, has faced years of scrutiny following his 2021 Netflix special, The Closer, which drew heavy criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. However, the comedian drew a sharp distinction between his artistic provocations and the legislative agendas of the Republican Party.
“I did resent that the Republican Party ran on transgender jokes. I felt like they were doing a weaponized version of what I was doing,” Chappelle stated. “That’s not what I was doing.”
The comedian described the Capitol Hill interaction as a matter of politeness gone wrong, noting he had already taken dozens of photos with various staffers and representatives before Boebert approached him. “This is before I learned the phrase, ‘I respectfully decline,’” he quipped.
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When questioned on the validity of the backlash against his work, Chappelle categorized much of the controversy as a “media phenomenon.” He argued that news coverage of his performances often functions as “rage baiting,” stripping the context of a live comedy environment where the audience “wants it to work.”
“Reading a joke is a lot different than sitting in a room and hearing it,” Chappelle told NPR. “If you feel like you have to police comedy to get your point across, you should assess your point.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Boebert did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Chappelle’s remarks. Chappelle remains firm in his stance, asserting that while he is open to dialogue, he will not “bend to anyone’s demands” regarding the content of his sets.
