Twitter Slams John Mulaney After Dave Chappelle Opens Show With Transphobic Jokes

Comedian John Mulaney is facing backlash on Twitter after he allowed Dave Chappelle to open his Ohio show with transphobic jokes.

On Friday, Chappelle provided a surprise opening set for Mulaney’s audience at Ohio State University’s Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

However, members of the crowd were left offended after Chappelle told jokes that appeared to target the transgender community.

Audience members were not allowed to film the show and were required to lock their phones up before the performance began. Once Chappelle was done with his set, Mulaney came onstage and hugged his fellow comedian.

After the show ended, members of the audience took to Twitter to share their experiences and criticize the comedic performance.

By Saturday, Mulaney and Chappelle’s names were trending topics on Twitter. Many fans appeared upset with Mulaney, whose stand-up routines typically consisted of self-deprecating humor and jokes about his personal life.

“Disappointed in John Mulaney but also really crushed to know that Chappelle has leaned into transphobia so much that it’s pretty much his only bit now,” one person wrote.

Pretty disappointed in John Mulaney, saw him tonight and yeah, he was funny, but he gave Dave Chapelle the platform to make some transphobic jokes. Also very disheartening to hear a crowd of 12,000 around you (a trans person) laughing at transphobic jokes. Thanks Columbus.
— Libby (@libbeefy) May 21, 2022

The fact that John Mulaney, who has a very prevalent amount of young LGBT fans, had Dave Chapelle open for his show tonight is just deeply disappointing and upsetting.
— kendall whitmore (@kenwhitmore16) May 21, 2022

Really sucks to see John Mulaney go from a wholesome “everyone loves him comic” to a cheater that welcomes Dave Chappelle on stage to guest star and make anti-trans jokes
— Brandon DeLorenzo (@bransinsights) May 21, 2022

Yeah no. Dave Chappell is a known bigot, and there was no reason for John Mulaney to let him open. Period. By doing so, he IS condoning his behavior by giving him a platform to continue his bigotry, I know he’s y’all’s favorite white boy, but he ain’t a saint. Mulaney IS at fault https://t.co/fgjPCUfXrp
— 🍁🍁👁👁🍁🍁 (@Scampy_Vampy) May 21, 2022

Hope John Mulaney is actually held accountable for the position he put so many people in tonight. Once again a man who built his career on an “I’m an unthreatening, good guy! I’m socially aware! Don’t worry!” feel is shocker not nearly as good a person as they wanted you to think
— JULIA (@S0UNDOFMETAL) May 21, 2022

extremely disappointing to hear that john mulaney, who has a bunch of queer and trans fans, had dave chappelle as a surprise opener for a show and then chappelle told transphobic and homophobic "jokes." these aren't mistakes. they're willful commitments to hatred/lack of empathy. https://t.co/KCcJLmh4Ha
— Elly Belle 🔮 (famously not a woman) (@literElly) May 21, 2022

Another person suggested people should reconsider worshipping celebrities due to the disappointment. “Remember back in the day when everyone praised John Mulaney for being an unproblematic fav. Don’t idolize celebs people,” the individual wrote.

Chappelle previously faced backlash for his controversial jokes in his 2019 Netflix special “Sticks and Stones” and 2021 special “The Closer.”

Earlier this month, Chappelle was tackled on stage during a performance and joked that the culprit was a trans man.

Mulaney and Chapelle have not publicly addressed the backlash following their comedy set in Ohio.