Prominent comedian and millionaire Dave Chappelle visited his alma mater to talk to a number of students, and it didn’t go great.
He took part in a Q & A at D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts with about 580 students and some staff members, according to Politico. He went to talk about his special The Closer and some of the backlash he’s received for anti-trans comments in it.
In true Chappelle fashion, he was unapologetic and sometimes mean to the students at the start of the event. One student went up to the mic and said the comedian was a “bigot,” and that “I’m 16 and I think you’re childish, you handled it like a child.” Chappelle responded with the same tone he’s used all along in face of criticism to his special.
“My friend, with all due respect, I don’t believe you could make one of the decisions I have to make on a given day.”
About eight students asked Chappelle questions during the event.
Another student asked him an oppositional question and he responded by talking about how great he was. “I’m better than every instrumentalist, artist, no matter what art you do in this school, right now, I’m better than all of you. I’m sure that will change. I’m sure you’ll be household names soon,” he told the students.
He also used the n-word, when someone said “your comedy kills.” “N—— are killed every day.” Then he said, “The media’s not here, right?”
The use of that word bothered one of the parents in the audience.
“As a parent, I have to say I have a real problem. … He was being dead serious and using the n-word on the record. What kind of judgment is the school showing to allow that?” When Politico asked Chappelle’s spokesperson about using that word, they responded with “… If anything, Dave is putting the school on the map.”
The controversial star reportedly laughed at kids asking questions and made jokes. When one student left he mocked her for it. One student said they felt Chappelle was taking advantage of an unfair power dynamic by talking down to the kids and making them lock up their phones in pouches.
However, Chappelle’s demeanor changed as the event went on. He talked about how some students were getting death threats for supporting him.
“His whole tone changed,” a student said. “He said, ‘This is my family and whether they know it or not I love these kids. … I don’t want to hear about any threats to these kids. These kids don’t deserve that.’”
Chappelle’s spokesperson said he was expecting forgiveness from the students, and that he wasn’t there to apologize.
He also gave out tickets to his documentary and about 600 meals for the school.