Dave Chappelle Is Being Criticized After Endorsing This 2020 Presidential Candidate
Dave Chappelle may be one of the world’s most beloved performers, but he is not immune to criticism. The Chappelle’s Show star recently came under fire after throwing his support behind Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, a former tech executive running an unconventional campaign. Critics have been very vocal about Chappelle’s announcement, taking to social media to slam the comedian.
Dave Chappelle’s endorsement of Andrew Yang
On Jan. 14, Chappelle announced that he intends to support Yang in the Democratic primary.
“I’m Yang Gang!” he said, according to a statement from Yang’s campaign.
Yang is an entrepreneur who founded Venture of America, which helps recent college graduates obtain jobs in start-up companies. His signature policy is the “Freedom Dividend,” a plan for a $1,000 monthly universal basic income. While he’s one of the least known candidates, Yang has a devoted following and continues to gain steam.
The former tech executive praised Chappelle in a statement and thanked him for his support.
“Dave is one of the most important voices in our country today and I’m thrilled he has thrown his support behind this campaign,” he said. “He and I share similar concerns about the future and hopes for what it could be. We are also parents who see the world that we are leaving to our kids and believe they deserve better.”
Yang also shared a photo with Chappelle on Twitter, welcoming him to the club.
“Thank you @DaveChappelle and welcome to the #yanggang. You are the best. Let’s do this for our kids,” he tweeted.
It was also announced that Chappelle will do two performances in January to benefit Yang’s campaign.
Social media users react to Dave Chappelle’s endorsement of Andrew Yang
The news received mixed reactions online, with many criticizing Chappelle’s decision.
One person tweeted it’s “Another reason why Dave Chappelle is no longer relevant.”
Someone else said it’s Chappelle’s funniest move in “years.”
“I’m a huge Chappelle fan so this really hurts,” tweeted another. “It reminds of when Chappelle left Comedy Central. I was a multi thousand-aire selling Chappelle Show Bootleg DVD’s and then this [sic] quit! Now, he supports Yang over Bernie.? You’re killin me Dave!”
But others are proud to see Yang receive another celebrity endorsement. So far, he’s received the stamp of approval from a few big-name stars, including Elon Musk, Nicolas Cage, and Donald Glover.
“@AndrewYang and @DaveChappelle are on the cutting edge of World affairs.! Dope,” tweeted one man.
“Real recognizes real,” said another.”
A third person tweeted: “Honestly, if I ran for president and had gotten endorsed by @DaveChappelle, I’d know that I’d done something right in life. Chappelle is a Mark Twain of modern times. Congratulations @AndrewYang and the #YangGang2020.”
It’s not the first time Dave Chappelle has been criticized in recent months
Chappelle also faced backlash following the release of his Netflix special, Sticks and Stones, which debuted on the platform back in August 2019. Some viewers were not happy with Chappelle’s comments on Michael Jackson, the LGBTQ community, and more — and slammed Chappelle on social media.
But the Half Baked actor tries not to let the critics get to him and tends to ignore their comments. He told HOT97 in 2017:
“I try not to seek that information out. There have been a couple times where I might have drank something and googled myself, but I try not to swim in the deep water of other people’s opinions.”
With that in mind, we bet he’s pretty unbothered by this latest criticism.
