Dave Chappelle closed his latest Netflix special, “The Unstoppable,” with a pointed jab at political manipulation and a controversial parting shot that has drawn backlash from Jewish communities over his remarks about Israel.
The final moments of the set, which dropped on Netflix in December, featured Chappelle delivering a monologue that swerved from political commentary to a loaded punchline.
“DC, no matter how much this government or anyone else puts pressure on you, keep your wits about you,” he said. “I’m here just to remind you that we are a community and we will stay sane together. We will take care of each other and we will wait this orange n#### out.”
The comedian then expressed concern about being used as a mouthpiece or manipulated by outside forces.
“The fear that I have for myself that I need you to protect me from is co-option,” he said. “My voice has become more powerful than I intended it to be. I cannot let these n##### do me like Charlie Kirk or even worse than that.”
He continued, “What if these n##### trip me up somehow, co-opt me, and then make me say the things that they want me to say? We can’t have that.”
To guard against that hypothetical scenario, Chappelle proposed a “code word” to signal to his audience if he’s ever compromised.
“So, just in case, we need a code. It’s gotta be something that I can say so that if I say it, you know that these n##### got me. And don’t listen to nothing that I say after I say those words,” he said. “But don’t tell anybody what it is, but it’s gotta be something that, you know what I mean, that I would never say.”
Then came the punchline that has sparked outrage: “Oh, I know what the code is. The code word is, I stand with Israel. Thank you very much and good night.”
The remark quickly drew criticism, with many Jewish groups and viewers accusing Chappelle of using Israel as a stand-in for political coercion, suggesting that support for the country is inherently inauthentic or forced.
His use of the phrase as a red flag for being compromised was interpreted by some as a slight against Jewish identity and support for Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League has not yet issued a formal statement about the special, but the line has already stirred debate across social media.
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