yikes

Clout-chasing comedian begs in the street for Dave Chappelle’s attention and OMG how embarrassing

There’s desperate, and then there’s this.

Hot-button “Team TERF” comedian Dave Chappelle was recently announced as Saturday Night Live‘s upcoming host and the backlash online was immediate.

Page Six reported that the blowback extended to the set, sharing that an anonymous “insider” had warned them of boycotts from within the SNL team. So far, this hasn’t been confirmed by anyone on the team and has been strongly refuted by Chappelle’s own representation.

However, former Wild ‘n Out guest Matt Rife apparently could not let this rumored moment pass him by.

Rife took to the streets outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza yesterday afternoon to panhandle for a crumb of attention from the comedian, holding a sign that read “Will write for Dave.”

Related: Jerrod Carmichael doesn’t hold back responding to Dave Chappelle’s anti-trans comments

TMZ reports that Rife was confronted in front of the building during his desperate demonstration by a passerby who “had a problem with their public plea to work with Dave.”

Rife maintained that his begging to work with the noted transphobe was in no way a statement on transphobia. Instead, his take on the situation went exactly this deep: “If you don’t want your job, I will take it.”

It’s doubtful that the show is going to be seeing an exodus over Chappelle’s third hosting gig. This is the same sketch show that had Donald Trump host in 2015, after he’d already launched his presidential campaign by calling Mexican people “rapists” and proposing the Muslim ban.

They also had Twitter’s new disaster Elon Musk (also a wild transphobe in his own right) host just last year. With that episode specifically, cast members reportedly were allowed to choose not to participate. It’s unclear whether that policy is an offer across the board.

Related: Lauren Boebert shows her support for Dave Chappelle in just one word

If they have the option to sit out, we may see a couple folks take a week’s vacation. One of the show’s newest players, Molly Kearney, is the program’s first-ever out nonbinary performer. Their run-in with Chappelle is coming just six episodes into their tenure.

A fellow nonbinary writer may also choose to take the week off, if given the option. Celeste Yim, who has written for the show since 2020, seemingly blasted the hosting announcement in an Instagram Story, writing, “I’m trans and non-binary. I use they/them pronouns. Transphobia is murder and it should be condemned.”

Whether openings make themselves available or not, its doubtful Lorne Michaels & Co. will have to resort to scooping up wannabes off the sidewalk.

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