Dave Chappelle - Sticks and Stones

Dave Chappelle (still) joking about Michael Jackson, R Kelly & Louis CK on new special

Dave Chappelle has been joking about Michael Jackson for over 15 years and, well before R. Kelly was the subject of a Lifetime documentary series, Chappelle was roasting him in the infamous 2003 sketch, “I Wanna (Piss On You),” that aired on his Comedy Central series Chappelle’s Show (and allegedly drew negative attention from Kelly’s “goons”). We knew from his recent Lunt Fontanne Theater run that Chappelle remains controversial as ever, and when it was announced that his new Netflix special, Sticks & Stones, would offer Dave’s “provocative perspective on the tidal wave of celebrity scandals,” it seemed like his special would continue to push the envelope. Sticks & Stones is out today and that is indeed the case.

As USA Today points out, Chappelle addresses the allegations made against Michael Jackson in HBO’s Leaving Neverland documentary. “I’m going to say something I’m not allowed to say, but I gotta be real: I don’t believe these (expletives),” he says, referring to Wade Robson and James Safechuck.

Later, talking about R. Kelly, Chappelle says, “if I’m a betting man, I’m putting my money on he probably did that (expletive).”

Saying how #MeToo gives him a “headache,” Chappelle brings up Louis C.K. later in the special. “Louis C.K. was a very good friend of mine before he died in that terrible masturbation accident,” Chappelle says. “It was his room, that’s where you’re supposed to masturbate. And then he said, ‘Hey, everybody, I’m about to pull my (expletive) out,’ and nobody ran for the door. They all just kind of hung out, like, ‘I wonder if this guy is serious.’ ”

Chappelle also talks Jussie Smollett, school shootings, and Kevin Hart, among other topics, in Sticks & Stones, which you can stream on Netflix now, and watch a couple of clips from below.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, he hosted the “Gem City Shine” benefit in Dayton, OH, honoring the victims and survivors of the August 4 mass shooting.