Comedian Dave Chappelle continues to push buttons with his new Netflix special, in which he quickly begins making fun of Michael Jackson's accusers and dismissing their allegations.
After railing against easily-offended audiences, Chappelle in his special Sticks & Stones brings up the recent HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which focuses on Wade Robson and James Safechuck's allegations of sexual abuse against the late pop star.
"I'm going to say something that I'm not allowed to say, but I've got to be real," Chappelle says in the special. "I don't believe these motherf--ers. I do not believe it."
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After drawing applause for that statement, Chappelle jokes that he is "what's known on the streets as a victim-blamer," imagining himself asking when being told Jackson molested children, "Well, what were those kids wearing at the time?"
Chappelle then launches into a bit making fun of Jackson's accusers and saying that "somebody's got to teach these kids there's no such thing as a free trip to Hawaii." But he makes clear his position is not a joke, saying "I don't think he did it" and pointing to the fact that Macaulay Culkin has said Jackson did not abuse him as evidence.
The comedian has previously voiced similar opinions about Jackson, The Washington Post notes, in a 2004 special also saying "I don't think he did it" before walking that back by deciding this is "too strong" of a statement and that he is instead "reserving judgment until all the facts come out."
Chappelle throughout the hour also comes to comedian Louis C.K.'s defense while continuing to make jokes about transgender people, which he came under fire for in his previous Netflix specials. All of this comes as Chappelle decries "celebrity hunting season" and prepares to be made a target himself, saying, "Look, I don't think I did anything wrong. But we'll see."
