Controversial Dave Chappelle and other stand ups who made comebacks

Dave Chappelle - More than 10 years after he left the show, and following his famous disappearing act, Chappelle made a big comeback with a couple Netflix specials. He polarized audiences then with his unflattering comments about the transgender community. Now with 'Sticks & Stones,' he's taken on celebrity accusers, R. Kelly, and, once again, the LGBTQ community.

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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 reported suicide 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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Udom Taepanich -

Also known as Nose, this stand-up comedian is a hit in Thailand. In 2013, he went on hiatus, but returned two years later.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Udom Taepanich -

Taepanich made a comeback with his 'Deaw 11' show, which took aim at Thailand's political situation.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Papa CJ -

CJ is one of India's most-celebrated stand-up comedians. He is one of the country's few comedians who made it big on the international scene.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Papa CJ -

CJ took a hiatus in 2009, and returned in 2015. He came back with his hit show, 'Naked,' which was well received across the board.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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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."

(Photo: Vimeo/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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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.

(Photo: Vimeo/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Dave Chappelle - Dave Chappelle is 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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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.

3 / 33 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.

4 / 33 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.

5 / 33 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.

6 / 33 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.

7 / 33 Fotos

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

8 / 33 Fotos

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

9 / 33 Fotos

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.

10 / 33 Fotos

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

11 / 33 Fotos

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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.

13 / 33 Fotos

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.

14 / 33 Fotos

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

15 / 33 Fotos

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

16 / 33 Fotos

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

17 / 33 Fotos

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.

20 / 33 Fotos

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

21 / 33 Fotos

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.

22 / 33 Fotos

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

23 / 33 Fotos

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.

24 / 33 Fotos

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

25 / 33 Fotos

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.'

26 / 33 Fotos

Udom Taepanich -

Also known as Nose, this stand-up comedian is a hit in Thailand. In 2013, he went on hiatus, but returned two years later.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

27 / 33 Fotos

Udom Taepanich -

Taepanich made a comeback with his 'Deaw 11' show, which took aim at Thailand's political situation.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

28 / 33 Fotos

Papa CJ -

CJ is one of India's most-celebrated stand-up comedians. He is one of the country's few comedians who made it big on the international scene.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

29 / 33 Fotos

Papa CJ -

CJ took a hiatus in 2009, and returned in 2015. He came back with his hit show, 'Naked,' which was well received across the board.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

30 / 33 Fotos

Siv Ngesi -

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

(Photo: Vimeo/CC BY-SA 3.0)

31 / 33 Fotos

Siv Ngesi -

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

(Photo: Vimeo/CC BY-SA 3.0)

32 / 33 Fotos

Controversial Dave Chappelle and other stand ups who made comebacks

Dave Chappelle is, once again, embroiled in controversy

27/08/19 | 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, albeit with repeat comebacks along the way. Now his latest is proving to, yet again, be controversial. In his latest 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. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

But Chappelle, and even his pal C.K., are far from the only comedians with comeback stories. Click on to discover some other famous cases.