Dave Chapelle Calls For Fans To Boycott His Own Show On HBO

Updated August 16, 2021

Boycotts (or at least calls to boycott) are increasingly common these days — after all, there's no better way to voice your dissatisfaction with something than with your wallet! Usually, boycotts for media happen when there's controversy surrounding the show, which is definitely the case with Chapelle's Show,

Dave Chapelle is one of the all-time comedy greats.

While he's obviously celebrated for his stand up comedy skills, he's also incredibly well-known for his three-season sketch comedy show, Chapelle's Show, which ran from 2003-2006.

Fans of Dave's may have been excited to see the show get added to streaming services like HBO Max, but Dave is asking them to boycott the show for a very important reason.

"When I left that show, I never got paid. They didn't have to pay me because I signed a contract," Dave explained in a video shared to his Instagram.

Getty Images | Lester Cohen

"I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never had to tell me. Perfectly legal because I signed the contract. But is that right?" Dave asked the audience he was in front of in the video. The audience responds with a resounding "no."

"I didn't think so either," Dave answers.

Dave said he was "not going to the agents to get something done right."

"I'm coming to my real boss — I'm coming to you," he told the audience, both at his show and online. "I'm begging you, if you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, I'm begging you: please don't watch that show."

"I'm not asking to boycott any network. Boycott me, boycott Chappelle's Show, do not watch it unless they pay me."

"You're going to pay me," Dave told HBO. "I am inviting you to come with me and work with me and let's fight against that terrible, terrible feeling that you made me feel together. We can fight together and work this thing with Chappelle's Show out, or I can just take it. Thank you," he ended the video, which you can watch above.

What do you think? Let us know how you feel about Dave's request in the comments below!