Jerrod Carmichael Speaks Out On Beef With Dave Chappelle

Jerrod Carmichael has broken his silence on his feud with Dave Chappelle.

In an interview with Esquire Magazine, Jerrod revealed that their beef began when he criticized Chappelle’s opinion on transgender issues. The North Carolina native explained that Chappelle demanded a public apology from him in private, seeing his criticism as outright hate and disrespect.

Carmichael didn’t hold back, describing Chappelle as an “egomaniac” for insisting on an apology.

“He took it as ‘F**k Dave Chappelle,’ because he’s an egomaniac,” Carmichael remarked. “He wanted me to apologize to him publicly or some sh*t…[He’s] not revealing anything personal about himself, and he’s removed from what he’s talking about. I think he’s smarter than that, deeper than that, and has more interesting thoughts.”

Jerrod’s initial critique of the comedian’s work surfaced during an interview with GQ in 2022. He addressed Chappelle’s series of anti-trans jokes in his comedy specials, particularly highlighting his 2021 Netflix special, The Closer.

Attempting to offer constructive criticism, Jerrod suggested that Chappelle’s legacy was being tarnished by his repeated use of transphobic rhetoric in his stand-up routines. The actor also called out the “cancel culture” notion that Chappelle often referenced to defend his controversial jokes.

“Look, I get it. Everybody’s got to create a boogeyman to sell tickets. But it’s not true,” Carmichael stated regarding cancel culture. “Who’s getting canceled for what they’ve said? What does that mean, that people are mad on Twitter? Everybody’s fine. These grown men are fine. I think, a lot of times, people who offer nothing truthful or meaningful about themselves then complain about society at large and create this boogeyman. It’s like, listen, that’s the most urgent thing in your life? God bless you. I’m tired of hearing it.”

According to Carmichael, the alleged mocking from Chappelle highlights the ongoing challenges faced by openly gay individuals in today’s society, despite Chappelle’s alleged attempts to diminish it. However, it’s worth noting that Dave’s supposed comment about Jerrod doesn’t seem to have been made publicly.