Comedian Jerrod Carmichael is finally opening up about his beef with Dave Chappelle claiming that he is still haunted by a remark made by the latter regarding his 2022 stand-up special, Rothaniel.
In the latest digital cover story for Esquire, Carmichael stated, “[Chappelle] referred to it as the bravest special for 1996. Yeah, that’s a funny enough line, whatever, but do you think he understands the irony that the reason it was difficult was that you were making fun of it even back then?”
Carmichael’s struggle with his sexuality is evident in his new HBO series, The Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show. He even prays to “take the desire” away to amuse his Christian mother in one especially trying scene.
He continued, “I still think that saying you’re gay is saying that there’s something wrong with you. Also, a lot of humor is just gay jokes. For as long as people make fun of it and laugh at it, something will always be frightening to someone. I find it frightening.
Chappelle and Carmichael had previously made comments on one another’s works. Chappelle’s legacy is currently “a bunch of opinions on trans shit,” which Carmichael called “an odd hill to die on,” as he stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter back in 2022.
Related stories
Saying that Chappelle is “not revealing anything personal about himself, and he’s removed from what he’s talking about, and I think he’s smarter than that, deeper than that, and has more interesting thoughts,” clarifying his remarks to Esquire.
Jerrod Carmichael claimed that Chappelle wasn’t too fond of the helpful critique. The comedian claims, “He took it as ‘Fuck Dave Chappelle,’ because he’s an egomaniac. He requested that I give him a public apology or something.”
