Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl

SNL 50: Dave Chappelle on LA Wildfires, Trump, Carter/Palestine & More

During his monologue, SNL host Dave Chappelle discussed the LA Wildfires, Donald Trump's second term, President Carter/Palestine, and more.

"I'm tired of being controversial. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. It is way too soon to try to joke about a catastrophe like that. This one is close to home," NBC's Saturday Night Live host Dave Chappelle said near the opening of his monologue during tonight's Season 50 midseason return episode. While it remains to be seen what the reactions will be on Sunday, Chappelle covered a wide range of topics – from Donald Trump to the Southern California wildfires – over the course of more than sixteen minutes.

"Boy, I tell you something. I'm being very honest. I am in quite the pickle tonight. And it started in October. Lorne Michaels called me," Chappelle offered as the backstory to what brought him to Studio 8H – and how the devastation from the LA wildfires hit close too home in a number of ways. "The first episode after the election. And I was like, nah, I'm cool." But he was interested in something closer to January 6th. "You know what? I could just get rid of all these old Trump jokes. I'll do it!" Chappelle said – before adding, "The moment I said yes, LA burst into flames!" Here's a look at just some of the highlights:

On LA Wildfires Cost: "The other day on the news, they said these fires were the most expensive tragedy that ever happened in the United States history. I think that's because people in LA have nice stuff. I could burn 40,000 acres in Mississippi for like six or seven dollars."

On LA Wildfires/Luigi Mangione: "A lot of poor people were affected, too. A lot of these people found out the week of the fires that they lost their fire insurance. Luigi is like, 'You're welcome,'" while adding, "That kid did almost plan the perfect crime. Only thing he forgot was to shave his eyebrows."

On Trump's Springfield, Ohio/Haitians Comments: "Trump's a wild guy. He said the Haitians in Springfield, OH, were eating people's dogs and cats. I live one town over from Springfield. That's not what happened in Springfield at all," Chappelle noted, explaining the reality of what was going on economically in the area. "Every day, I'd drive over to Springfield and eat lunch at the Haitian restaurant," Chappelle shared – before adding, "And to be honest with you, I don't know what that meat was. But whatever it was, it fell right off the bone."

In addition, Chappelle covered a number of the aspects of the P. Diddy arrest and allegations and shared a story involving the late President Jimmy Carter and seeing an image of him in Palestine with people cheering for him. Noting that "the picture brought tears to my eyes," Chappelle admitted he wasn't sure how he would judge the man as President but noted that "he was a good man. It made me feel proud to see that." But it was near the end of his monologue when Chappelle let the emotions really show.

"The presidency is no place for petty people. Donald Trump, I know you watch the show, man, remember whether people voted for you or not, they're all counting on you," Chappelle said near the end of his monologue, directing his final words to the incoming POTUS. "The whole world is counting on you. Please do better next time. Do not forget your humanity for displaced people whether they're in the Palisades or Palestine." Here's a look at the monologue:

SNL 50 Previews: "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night" & More!

Before we get to the big celebration on February 16th and NBC's documentary event, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music on January 27th, Peacock and Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville will be offering us an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at what makes NBC's Saturday Night Live the enduring and influential institution that it's been for 50 seasons. Featuring more than 60 contributors, including alumni, and covering decades of history, the four-episode SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night reveals new insights into the show's history, pulling back the curtain on everything from the writers' room to the famed audition process. With all four episodes currently streaming on Peacock, here's what you need to know:

Peacock's SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including SNL alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show's most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers' room, the fan favorite "More Cowbell" sketch, and the pivotal season 11.

Episode 101, "Five Minutes" – A showcase of the audition process, with never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from some of the show's most iconic names as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the SNL stage.

Contributors: Ayala Cohen, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Beck Bennett, Bill Hader, Bobby Moynihan, Bowen Yang, Cheri Oteri, David Spade, Ego Nwodim, Fred Armisen, Heidi Gardner, Jason Sudeikis, Jay Pharaoh, Jeff Blake, Joe Piscopo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kenan Thompson, Kyle Mooney, Lindsay Shookus, Marci Klein, Mike Shoemaker, Molly Shannon, Nasim Pedrad, Pete Davidson, Stephen Colbert, and Tracy Morgan.

Episode 102, "Written By: A Week Inside The SNL Writers Room" – A behind-the-scenes look at the writing process from script to screen, capturing the creativity and chaos of a week inside the writers' room.

Contributors: Alan Zweibel, Alex English, Al Franken, Andrew Dismukes, Asha Ward, Ben Marshall, Bob Odenkirk, Bryan Tucker, Ceara O'Sullivan, Celeste Yim, Emily Spivey, Harper Steele, Jim Downey, Jimmy Fowlie, John Higgins, John Mulaney, Larry David, Louie Zakarian, Marilyn Miller, Martin Herlihy, Paula Pell, Robert Smigel, Sarah Silverman, Seth Meyers, Simon Rich, Steve Higgins, Streeter Seidell, Tina Fey, and Will Stephen.

Episode 103, "More Cowbell" – A deep dive into the making of SNL's iconic "More Cowbell" sketch, exploring how a simple idea became a cultural phenomenon and offering a tribute to the lasting impact of sketch comedy.

Contributors: Akira Yoshimura, Albert Bouchard, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Bruce Dickinson, Buck Dharma, Cara Hannah, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell, Dana Carvey, Dave Grohl, Dave Itzkoff, Darrell Hammond, Eamon Cunningham, Eric Bloom, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Fallon, Jodi Mancuso, John Karpi, Josh Homme, Keith Raywood, Larry Demler, Louie Zakarian, Murray Krugman, Rachel Dratch, Tom Broecker, Will Ferrell, and David Lucas.

Episode 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year" – An exploration into SNL's 11th season, examining the pivotal year that reset the show's direction and cemented its enduring DNA with Lorne Michaels at the helm.

Contributors: A. Whitney Brown, Al Franken, Andy Breckman, Anthony Michael Hall, Billy Crystal, Carol Leifer, Damon Wayans, George Meyer, George Wendt, Griffin Dunne, James Andrew Miller, Jim Downey, John Lithgow, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon, Laila Nabulsi, Mark McKinney, Nora Dunn, Penn & Teller, Robert Smigel, Terry Sweeney, and Tom Hanks.

Additional archival interviews include Bernie Brillstein, Lorne Michaels, Robert Downey Jr., and Tom Davis.

Executive-produced by Neville, Caitrin Rogers, and Showrunner Juaquin Cambron, Peacock's SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is produced by Jonathan Formica (Ep 101, "Five Minutes" & Ep 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year") and Allison Klein (Ep 102, "Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room" & Ep 103, "More Cowbell"). The episodes were directed by Robert Alexander (Ep 101, "Five Minutes"), Marshall Curry (Ep 102, "Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room"), Neil Berkeley (Ep 103, "More Cowbell"), and Jason Zeldes (Ep 104, "Season 11: The Weird Year").

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