Controversial Dave Chappelle and other stand-ups who made comebacks

Chappelle's notorious Netflix special 'The Closer,' released in 2021, once again sparked backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. Chappelle continued to make "jokes" about transgender people, spewing comments like, "Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact," which confuses gender with biological sex. He also made jokes about trans women's private parts, calling them the Beyond or Impossible versions, referencing the fake meat companies. Twitter erupted in backlash, calling out Chappelle's obsession with trans bodies and criticizing his humor for being lazy and disingenuous.

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Dave Chappelle -

The controversial comedian also defended DaBaby, who infamously made similarly ignorant and harmful remarks about the LGBTQ+ community, but Chappelle took it one step further. He addressed the LGBTQ+ community "directly," saying he would like to "negotiate the release of DaBaby," and drawing a line between white LGBTQ+ people and Black people who've gotten in trouble with them. "All I ask of your community, with all humility: Will you please stop punching down on my people?" Chappelle said, drawing more criticism from Black queer people. One Twitter user pointed out, "This is ignoring how Hart, DaBaby, and Chappelle himself punched down first, but more pertinent is that again there is that divide. The thought of a gay or trans black person is foreign to him. We don't exist. We are outside of his experience and therefore, a white experience."

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Louis C.K. - Louis Székely was one of America's most-beloved stand ups, but after he admitted to abuse allegations in 2018 he went into hiding with a ruined reputation.

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Louis C.K. - C.K. made his return in late in 2018, performing low-profile sets at comedy clubs around America. His comeback has been controversial, with many concerned with C.K.'s anti-PC material.

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Aziz Ansari - In January 2018, Ansari was hit with sexual misconduct accusations, with a polarized response from the public. He swiftly retreated from the public eye.

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Aziz Ansari - Ansari returned later in 2018, with a new tour called 'Working Out New Material.' This was met with praise, as well as calls for a boycott.

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Chris Rock - Rock got his start as a stand up, and has since become a movie star. His brand of comedy has always been controversial, including his repeat use of the n-word.

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Chris Rock - In 2018, Rock made his return with 'Tamborine,' a comedy special that premiered on Netflix.

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Dane Cook - In 2011, Dane Cook announced that he was quitting stand up, after troubles in his personal and professional life.

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Dane Cook - Just two years later, Cook made a quiet return to the stage. "I'm going into a new era of my career and professional life," he told the Washington Post.

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Pete Davidson - The young stand up reached new levels of fame after he became engaged to Ariana Grande.

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Pete Davidson - The relationship didn't work out, and Davidson went public about his depression and mental health. After a scare, Davidson returned to stand-up comedy with two sold-out shows in the Boston area.

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Steve Martin - He rose to fame as a writer and for his absurdist stand-up routines. Then, Steve Martin became a star, leaving his stand-up days behind him.

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Steve Martin - In 2016, Martin performed his first stand-up in 35 years, coming out as a surprise guest at Jerry Seinfeld's year-long residency at New York's Beacon Theatre.

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Ellen DeGeneres - Ellen started out in stand up, and has risen through the ranks of fame in order to have her own TV show.

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Ellen DeGeneres - In 2018, she announced her first stand-up show in 15 years. It premiered on Netflix on December 18, 2018.

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Jamie Foxx - Jamie Foxx is another man with a diverse career. His stand-up sets can combine comedy, music, and acting too.

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Jamie Foxx - In 2017, it was widely-reported that Foxx was making a return to stand up after 15 years away. This followed a short set he tried out at the HaHa Comedy Club in Los Angeles.

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Gabriel Iglesias - The hit comedian suffered a nervous breakdown in 2017, with his tour being called off. "I'm dealing with some serious health and emotional issues that needed attention asap," he told fans on Instagram.

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Gabriel Iglesias - The comedian, also known as Fluffy, returned with a new show, 'One Show Fits All.' The show stopped off in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

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Ben Elton - Ben Elton has had a diverse career, writing series like 'Blackadder,' publishing novels, and writing musicals such as 'We Will Rock You.'

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Ben Elton - In December 2018, Elton announced his first stand-up tour in 15 years, outlining a 53-date tour of the UK and Ireland.

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Judd Apatow - Apatow is best known for working on films like 'Happy Gilmore,' 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' and 'Knocked Up.'

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Judd Apatow - He started his career in comedy with stand up, which he returned to in 2015. He performed at the Comedy Cellar in New York, after a two-decade hiatus.

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Greg Davies - The British stand up is also known as an actor, appearing on shows like 'The Inbetweeners' and 'Doctor Who.'

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Greg Davies - After taking a four-year hiatus, Davies returned to stand up in 2017, with a new nationwide tour in the UK titled 'You Magnificent Beast.'

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Siv Ngesi -

Otherwise known as Siv-ilised Ngesi, this South African comic told IOL that "you either love me, or you hate me."

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Siv Ngesi -

Ngesi returned to stand-up in 2017, after a four-year hiatus. He performed at the Baxter Theater in Cape Town.

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Dave Chappelle - Dave Chappelle is still arguably one of the most celebrated stand ups in America. He made his name on 'Chappelle's Show,' which saw great success until its finale in 2006.

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Dave Chappelle -

In his Netflix special, 'Sticks & Stones,' he accuses Michael Jackson's accusers of being liars, while also seemingly putting the blame on fellow comedian Louis C.K.'s accusers.

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Dave Chappelle -

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Dave Chappelle -

Getty Images

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Louis C.K. - Louis Székely was one of America's most-beloved stand ups, but after he admitted to abuse allegations in 2018 he went into hiding with a ruined reputation.

6 / 32 Fotos

Louis C.K. - C.K. made his return in late in 2018, performing low-profile sets at comedy clubs around America. His comeback has been controversial, with many concerned with C.K.'s anti-PC material.

7 / 32 Fotos

Aziz Ansari - In January 2018, Ansari was hit with sexual misconduct accusations, with a polarized response from the public. He swiftly retreated from the public eye.

8 / 32 Fotos

Aziz Ansari - Ansari returned later in 2018, with a new tour called 'Working Out New Material.' This was met with praise, as well as calls for a boycott.

9 / 32 Fotos

Chris Rock - Rock got his start as a stand up, and has since become a movie star. His brand of comedy has always been controversial, including his repeat use of the n-word.

10 / 32 Fotos

Chris Rock - In 2018, Rock made his return with 'Tamborine,' a comedy special that premiered on Netflix.

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Dane Cook - In 2011, Dane Cook announced that he was quitting stand up, after troubles in his personal and professional life.

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Dane Cook - Just two years later, Cook made a quiet return to the stage. "I'm going into a new era of my career and professional life," he told the Washington Post.

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Pete Davidson - The young stand up reached new levels of fame after he became engaged to Ariana Grande.

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Steve Martin - He rose to fame as a writer and for his absurdist stand-up routines. Then, Steve Martin became a star, leaving his stand-up days behind him.

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Steve Martin - In 2016, Martin performed his first stand-up in 35 years, coming out as a surprise guest at Jerry Seinfeld's year-long residency at New York's Beacon Theatre.

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Ellen DeGeneres - Ellen started out in stand up, and has risen through the ranks of fame in order to have her own TV show.

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Ellen DeGeneres - In 2018, she announced her first stand-up show in 15 years. It premiered on Netflix on December 18, 2018.

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Jamie Foxx - Jamie Foxx is another man with a diverse career. His stand-up sets can combine comedy, music, and acting too.

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Jamie Foxx - In 2017, it was widely-reported that Foxx was making a return to stand up after 15 years away. This followed a short set he tried out at the HaHa Comedy Club in Los Angeles.

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Gabriel Iglesias - The comedian, also known as Fluffy, returned with a new show, 'One Show Fits All.' The show stopped off in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

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Ben Elton - Ben Elton has had a diverse career, writing series like 'Blackadder,' publishing novels, and writing musicals such as 'We Will Rock You.'

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Ben Elton - In December 2018, Elton announced his first stand-up tour in 15 years, outlining a 53-date tour of the UK and Ireland.

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Judd Apatow - Apatow is best known for working on films like 'Happy Gilmore,' 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' and 'Knocked Up.'

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Judd Apatow - He started his career in comedy with stand up, which he returned to in 2015. He performed at the Comedy Cellar in New York, after a two-decade hiatus.

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Greg Davies - The British stand up is also known as an actor, appearing on shows like 'The Inbetweeners' and 'Doctor Who.'

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Greg Davies - After taking a four-year hiatus, Davies returned to stand up in 2017, with a new nationwide tour in the UK titled 'You Magnificent Beast.'

29 / 32 Fotos

Siv Ngesi -

Otherwise known as Siv-ilised Ngesi, this South African comic told IOL that "you either love me, or you hate me."

Getty Images

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Siv Ngesi -

Ngesi returned to stand-up in 2017, after a four-year hiatus. He performed at the Baxter Theater in Cape Town.

Getty Images

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Controversial Dave Chappelle and other stand-ups who made comebacks

Historic Minneapolis venue cancels Dave Chappelle show due to major backlash

21/07/22 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Comedy

Stand-up comedy is no funny business. It's a tight industry, with only a handful of names making it to A-list status. Dave Chappelle is one of the lucky ones who made it, and then made it again after disappearing from comedy for over a decade, though not without some self-inflicted bumps along the way.

While he returned to critical acclaim and has made a deal to produce many more comedy specials for Netflix, Chappelle is still a divisive figure whose comments about the LGBTQ+ community have blacklisted him in many spaces. Most recently, his show at Minneapolis’ historic First Avenue theater was canceled the day of, after the venue finally addressed the backlash from staff and patrons caused by Chappelle's history of telling transphobic jokes. A statement from First Avenue read, "To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry. We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls.”

Chappelle is far from the only comedian with a controversial comeback story. Click on to learn more and discover some other famous cases.