Reggie Watts Calls Out Dave Chappelle's 'Joyless' Comedy⁠—'Hack Jokes'

Reggie Watts has called on Dave Chappelle to "consider a different approach" to his current social commentary and accused him of using "bigoted" "hack jokes."

The comedian and bandleader of The Late Late Show with James Corden tweeted out his thoughts on Chappelle on Tuesday night, before going on to further explain his thoughts with social media users who disagreed with his take.

Chappelle has been hit with accusations of transphobia in the past but his recent appearance on Saturday Night Live was called "antisemitic" by many Jewish people and groups.

"Damn @DaveChappelle," Watts wrote on Twitter late on Tuesday. "I hope you consider a different approach to your current social commentary. It's feeling joyless and lacking the enlightenment you used to inspire. I understand the idea of crossing the line, but there are many more subversive yet unifying ways to do so."

His initial tweet sparked discussion, to which Watts started engaging.

When one Twitter user suggested that "everyone in comedy is fair game," Watts replied suggesting there was a difference. "You are right anything in comedy is fair game but hack jokes at the expense of others, is most certainly not unifying in any way, it just sounds bigoted," he said.

The 50-year-old comedian and musician Watts isn't known for speaking out on social issues, though he was praised in 2020 for an emotional exchange he shared with Corden discussing racism.

From the rate of Watts' replies and engagement on surrounding the Chappelle tweet, it's something he feels strongly about. Reactions to Watts' stance ranged from agreement, to further questions, to insults aimed at him.

After one user had questioned the "hack jokes" remark, Watts clarified his feelings towards Chappelle, and to his recent controversial SNL monologue. "I agree 94% of his set was funny but he keeps leaning into topics that he must know are negatively sensitive. Perhaps he thinks he can over-correct? Which could be tactic depending on the outcome," Watts wrote.

Others suggested that Chappelle as a comedian holds no responsibility to "be careful" about what he says during a stand-up set.

"When you have a large platform and you say things that are being challenged by enough folks I think it should be addressed in some way," Watts replied. "That's just me. He can do whatever he wants. I just like to see good discourse of which there seems to be very little."

He added in a separate tweet to a similar comment, "I would argue someone with a platform as large as his has some responsibility to what they put out there. Ultimately he can do whatever he wants but why not use your powers for betterment?"

Asked whether his initial tweet was written in response to Saturday's episode of SNL, Watts stated that it's been an ongoing issue for a number of years in his opinion.

"Everything I'm saying is done from a place of love, which was clearly stated in the first text. It's an invitation to discuss the responsibilities performers have when faced with direct challenges from their fans," Watts wrote.

Chappelle's appearance on SNL at the weekend proved divisive with many praising him, while others, like the StopAntisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez said he performed a "disgusting opening monologue."

Rez told Newsweek: "Chappelle has normalized the Jew-hatred spewed by Kanye West last month, which often manifests into real world violence. Who gave Chappelle the greenlight for that disastrous hate speech? Where are Lorne Michaels and NBC Universal CEO Jeff Shell in holding Chappelle accountable?"

Newsweek have reached out to Chappelle's team a number of times for comment. We have also reached out to Watts for further comment on his stance.

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