Dave Chappelle & Joe Rogan Cash In On Recent Controversy

Dave Chappelle and Joe Rogan capitalized off the controversy last night as their co-headlining tour drew a packed house to the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

The arena show was originally announced scheduled for April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a delay. It was then re-scheduled for this September but it was delayed again for two reasons – Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana, and Rogan coming down with COVID-19. Chappelle and Rogan drew a sold out crowd of nearly 17,000 people, according to Rolling Stone.

Both headlining comedians made sure everyone knew of the hot water they’ve found themselves in as of late – Rogan for his vaccine and COVID talk, and Chappelle for his controversial “The Closer” special on Netflix.

Rogan received a big laugh at one point when he asked, “If you’re getting your vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault?”

Chappelle hit the stage to a standing ovation and remarked, “I haven’t been in this much trouble in my life.”

Chappelle and Rogan were joined by comedians Jeffrey Ross, Donnell Rawlings and Tom Segura on stage. The show featured an in-the-round stage configuration to maximize seating capacity, making it the largest crowd to attend an arena show in New Orleans since the start of the pandemic, according to NOLA.com.

There was also a ban on cell phones, cameras and all recording devices for the show, which is standard for many top comedy acts these days. Fans attending the show had to leave their phones and smart watches in Yondr pouches, which stay with you throughout the show, but cannot be unlocked until the performance is over, or unless you visit one of the Yondr stations in the concourse of the venue. Anyone caught using a phone inside the arena was subject to ejection.

Who is your preferred comic – Chappelle or Rogan? Do you have plans to take in one of their arena shows this year?

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