Dec 22, 2025
3 min read
Dave Chappelle's amazing Netflix special Unstoppable premieres Friday night, December 20th.
Dave Chappelle comments on Saudi Charlie Kirk in new special
Dave Chappelle's Netflix hit titled "The Unstoppable," dropped Friday night, December 20th.
Dave Chappelle is no stranger to controversial comedy, so fans and critics likely won't be surprised by his new special, which includes the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk and his own decision to perform in Saudi Arabia.
In a surprise Netflix special called "The Unstoppable" that aired on Friday night, December 20, Chappelle spoke candidly about the conservative advocate who was shot and killed on the University of Utah campus in September.
"White people were quick to say that. They said, 'Charlie Kirk is this generation's Martin Luther King.' No, he's not. Yes, that's an accomplishment. You know, they were both murdered horribly. They were both shot in the neck, but that's where the similarities end," he said.
Chappelle, 52, called Kirk an "internet personality" and "a wholesome white guy" whose killing was troubling.
"If you're talking about living and seeing Charlie Kirk killed like that. I'll be honest, I was shocked," he said.
Chappelle also described how he and other comedians such as Bill Burr and Kevin Hart were denounced for performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.The 14-day event overlaps with the seventh anniversary of the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national and US resident who was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018.
Chappelle echoed previous sentiments, saying it's easier to act in the Middle East than in the U.S., adding, "But I have to tell you one thing — trans jokes are popular in Saudi Arabia."
In the United States, Chappelle has faced backlash for jokes about transgender people in past specials.
"I'll take money from Saudi Arabia any day to say it's not here. It feels good to be free," he said.
