Comedian Dave Chappelle delivered a passionate message to President-elect Donald Trump during the opening monologue of the first Saturday Night Live episode of 2025, urging him to “not forget your humanity.”
Newsweek has contacted the Trump transition team for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
Saturday Night Live has regularly mocked and criticized Trump in its sketches over the years. The Republican is believed to occasionally watch the show and has suggested in the past that it should be canceled.
Dave Chappelle speaks during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The comic sent a message to President-elect Donald Trump while… Dave Chappelle speaks during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 19, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The comic sent a message to President-elect Donald Trump while opening the first Saturday Night Live episode of 2025. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame/Getty Images
What To Know
Chappelle hosted the latest SNL episode and delivered a monologue touching on a range of topics, including Trump’s return to the White House, the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, the Los Angeles wildfires, and allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Chappelle described Carter, who died on December 29 at age 100, as a “great man.” He recalled how the former president visited Palestine, despite warnings from the Israeli government that it was “too dangerous” to go. Carter’s visit coincided with the release of his 2006 book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.
During his monologue, Chappelle said, “The presidency is no place for petty people,” urging Trump to have empathy for people “whether they are in the Palisades or Palestine.”
Chappelle also commented on the recent devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, discussing how celebrity homes were affected. While addressing theories that the blazes were started by arsonists, Chappelle joked: “You should also consider the theory that God hates these people.”
This marks the fourth time Chappelle has hosted SNL. He previously hosted postelection episodes in November 2016 and 2020 and returned for a third hosting appearance in November 2022.
Dave Chappelle on ‘Diddy’ Allegations
Chappelle also addressed the allegations against Combs during his monologue, humorously lamenting that he wasn’t invited to alleged orgies at the hip-hop mogul’s home, suggesting it might be because he is “ugly” or has “snitch energy.”
Combs has denied allegations of sex trafficking, racketeering, and other crimes. Multiple lawsuits against him include accusations of sexual abuse of minors. Officers raided his Los Angeles mansion in March, reportedly seizing thousands of bottles of baby oil allegedly used in gatherings known as “freak offs.”
Newsweek has reached out to Combs’s legal team for comment via email.
What People Are Saying
Dave Chappelle said during Saturday Night Live monologue: “The presidency is no place for petty people. Donald Trump, I know you watch the show—man, remember, whether people voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you. Whether they like you or not, they’re all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you. And I mean this when I say this: good luck. Please do better next time. Please, all of us, do better next time. Do not forget your humanity and please have empathy for displaced people, whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine.
“I’ve been in a lot of trouble my day, but, man, let me tell you something. This guy Puffy, this guy is in an enormous amount of trouble. I’ve never seen anything like this. They got this guy in a RICO case, by himself. My friends asked me, ‘Dave, did you know anything about those freak offs?’ I say, ‘no, I didn’t know anything about those freak offs.’ And they all look at me like [skeptical].
“And they say, ‘Well, how are all these people you know were at the freak offs, but you’re the only one that wasn’t at freak offs?’ And I thought about it for a minute, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m ugly.’ That’s a tough way to find that out. Me reading a newspaper and found out everyone in Hollywood had an orgy behind your back.
“No, look at my face. This is not necessarily a handsome face, but it’s not an ugly face. But if you really study my face, clearly, I have snitch energy.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with getting older. But if you’re 55 and you got 1,000 bottles of baby oil in the house, clearly ‘can’t stop, won’t stop.’ You’re committed to the lifestyle. Because I’m 51 and I’m telling you, I can’t remember a single time I ever threw an empty bottle of baby oil in the trash. I’ve never finished a bottle of baby oil in my life.”
What Happens Next
The next episode of Saturday Night Live will be hosted by actor Timothée Chalamet.
Trump will be sworn in as president for a second time on Monday, January 20.
