Comedian and actor Dave Chappelle is backing Andrew Yang’s (D) White House bid, it was announced on Tuesday, just hours ahead of the Democrat debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
“I’m going to be endorsed in about two hours by Dave Chappelle,” Yang announced on Tuesday, prompting applause.
He added that the veteran-stand up comedian will headline shows that will benefit the Yang campaign, particularly in South Carolina.
“And not just endorsed. Dave is going to be headlining a couple of shows to benefit the campaign in South Carolina on January 29 and January 30,” Yang said. “So, super indebted to Dave. Can’t wait to help make this case to the country that we can do better for ourselves and our kids than we’re doing right now.”
“Thank you @DaveChappelle and welcome to the #yanggang. You are the best. Let’s do this for our kids,” Yang tweeted shortly after.
Sticks & Stones star’s support, while not official until Tuesday, has been a long time coming. Yang hinted at the coming endorsement last week, stating that Chappelle’s team reached out to him, inquiring on how he could help Yang’s campaign.
“Dave’s team reached out to our team, and they were thrilled to put the two of us together,” Yang said in New Hampshire last week. “We sat down and talked about his concerns for the country and what we need to do to for the next generation. Dave’s a dad like I am. And then after we met, he said, ‘Look, I want to help, and what can I do to help?’”
“We asked him which of the early states that he might want to perform a couple shows to benefit the campaign. He chose South Carolina, which seemed like a perfect fit,” Yang added.
Chappelle has made headlines in recent months over his blunt criticisms of cancel culture and defense of the First Amendment, ultimately spurring criticism from Yang rival Pete Buttigieg (D).
“That’s why I don’t be coming out doing comedy all the time because y’all niggas is the worst motherfuckers I’ve ever tried to entertain in my fucking life. Goddamn sick of it. This is the worst time ever to be a celebrity. You’re going to be finished, everybody’s doomed!” Chappelle lamented in a clip of his Netflix special.
He fiercely defended the First Amendment as he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in October.
“The First Amendment is first for a reason. The Second Amendment is just in case the first one doesn’t work out,” Chappelle reportedly said. “The country’s getting a little tight. It doesn’t feel like it’s ever felt in my lifetime.”
“We all want to live in a polite society, we just kind of have to work on the levels of coming to an agreement of what that actually looks like,” he stated on the red carpet
Hollywood singer and producer Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, is also backing Yang, it was reported in December.