Dave Chappelle and Bowen Yang hug one year after ‘awkward’ SNL appearance sparked rumours of bad blood
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Comedians seemed to quash rumours of tension for good. Bowen Yang and Dave Chappelle continue to quash any rumours of a feud as the two comedians embraced on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live. Chappelle returned to host SNL for a fourth time on Saturday night (18 January).
As is customary, at the end of the episode, the SNL regulars gathered at the end of the stage with the host to wave goodbye to the audience. Before the cameras cut and the credits rolled, Chappelle and Yang (who has been an on-air regular on the sketch programme since 2019) were seen briefly hugging one another. The comedians, however, did not appear in any skits together.
![[Dave Chappelle on SNL]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/19/17/newFile-1.jpg)
The televised hug comes amid ongoing rumours that Yang actively avoids the controversial comedian whenever he appears on the show. Last year, fans speculated that there was bad blood between the two stars after noticing an “awkward” interaction during one episode.
In January 2024, Chappelle made a surprise appearance on an SNL episode that was hosted by Madame Web star Dakota Johnson with musical guest Justin Timberlake. As the hosts and the cast gathered at the end of the episode, fans noticed that Yang and Chappelle were standing at opposite ends to one another and that Yang appeared to look “uncomfortable”.
Fans speculated that Yang, who is gay, took issue with Chappelle who has attracted criticism in recent years for his jokes mocking the transgender community. His comments have prompted criticism from fellow celebrities and fans. His 2021 Netflix special The Closer led to a staff walkout at the streaming giant.
