Dave Chappelle performed fake monologue in SNL dress rehearsal

Dave Chappelle faked his monologue during rehearsal and switched his material for the actual show on Saturday Night Live on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

According to Page Six, a source claimed that the comedian performed a decoy. “Dave does a fake monologue during the dress rehearsal, because he doesn’t want [SNL creator] Lorne Michaels, or anyone else, to know what his real monologue is.”

The source also added that Chappelle made a joke during the dress rehearsal about a writer who refused to work with him this week on the show.

The outlet previously reported that some staff writers were so furious that the comedy superstar – who’s made transphobic and homophobic jokes in his past comedy shows – was chosen to host that they were sitting out the episode.

Chappelle’s short stand-up set that appeared on the live broadcast was criticised for allegedly normalising anti-Semitism, though it's not clear if any of the most controversial segments were included in the earlier performance.

Previously, reps for Chappelle told the outlet that there was nothing to suggest there was any boycott when Chappelle and his team attended SNL writers’ meetings last week.

An insider claimed that his joked about one of the writers 'caused tensions to flare' on set, though it didn't make it to the nationally broadcast version of the show.

The final version of his monologue was blasted by the Anti-Defamation League for 'popularising' anti-Semitism.

In one joke, Chappelle made light of Kanye West recent anti-Semitic statements while seemingly offering him a public relations roadmap to skirting past criticism.

“I denounce anti-Semitism in all its forms and stand with my friends in the Jewish community,” Chappelle said in his opening. “And that, Kanye, is how you buy yourself some time,” he added, referring to West’s recent anti-Semitic rants.

Chappelle last hosted the sketch comedy show in 2020, before Netflix released his 2021 special The Closer.