Dave Chappelle hits back at Bill Maher as he slams host’s 'smug' commentary: 'F**k that guy'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian Dave Chappelle criticized fellow comic and political commentator Bill Maher in his new Netflix special, ‘Dave Chappelle: Unstoppable.’
He called Maher’s recent remarks ‘smug’ and expressed frustration over Maher’s past comments about his performances and views on free speech.
Chappelle’s remarks, which include repeated profanity aimed at Maher, have triggered reactions across the entertainment world after the special unexpectedly appeared on Netflix.
Dave Chappelle takes aim at Bill Maher’s commentary
Netflix released ‘Dave Chappelle: Unstoppable’ on Friday, Dec 19, surprising Chappelle's fans.
Dave Chappelle not a fan of @billmaher
— I Plead the GIF 🖐🏾 (@lilwaltjr305) December 20, 2025
F- That Guy (Bill Maher) 😂😂😂#ILuvIt #TheUnStoppable pic.twitter.com/oWSDZfqQhf
In the special, Chappelle criticized ‘Whites,’ comparing the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk to Martin Luther King Jr.
He also responded to Maher, who had called him out for his comments on free speech while performing in Saudi Arabia.
“Bill Maher, the famous comedian. I’ve known Bill since I was like 18, 19 years old, and I’ve never said this publicly, but f**k that guy,” Chappelle said.
He added, “I’m so f**king tired of his little smug cracker-a** commentary.”
The remarks drew both laughter and applause from the audience.
Bill Maher rips Dave Chappelle
Chappelle was one of a number of comedians to face backlash over performing in the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. While performing, Chappelle claimed it’s “easier to talk here than it is in America.”
On ‘Real Time,’ Maher slammed Chappelle for the comment and dared him to put Saudi Arabia’s speech laws to the test by joking about the Prophet Muhammad.
“Dave Chappelle said it was in the press today, saying that you can speak more freely over here than in America. I don’t know if that’s true. Oh it’s not true! Do your hunk on Muhammad, Dave!” Maher had said.
“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” Chappelle said, according to The New York Times. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”
Chappelle defended his comment but also slammed cancel culture in the United States, citing the backlash he faced for “transgender jokes.”
“I didn’t tell them to put this in the paper. I just said it on stage,” he said, adding, “Don’t forget what I just went through.”
He then joked, “But I gotta tell you something: transgender jokes went over very well in Saudi Arabia.”
Chappelle and other comedians, including Bill Burr, received criticism for participating in the Saudi Arabia comedy festival. Chappelle responded to this criticism as well.
“They said, ‘Well, Saudi Arabia killed a journalist’ and rest in peace Jamal Khashoggi,” he said. “I’m sorry that he got murdered in such a heinous fashion. And also, look bro, Israel’s killed 240 journalists in the last three months so I didn’t know y’all were still counting.”