Patton Oswalt won't apologize for performing with Dave Chappelle

Patton Oswalt has received criticism for sharing a stage with controversial fellow comedian Dave Chappelle on Dec. 31 2021. He has now publicly taken to social media to defend Chappelle and himself. "Why not? I waved good-bye to this hell-year with a genius I started comedy with 34 years ago."

"He works an arena like he’s talking to one person and charming their skin off. Anyway, I ended the year with a real friend and a deep laugh. Can’t ask for much more," Oswalt wrote on Instagram.

It turns out that the comedic pair were performing separately in Seattle next door to each other. When Chappelle found out, he invited Oswalt to sit in with him on stage.

Oswalt also wrote on Instagram:

"I saw a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time this New Year’s Eve. We’ve known each other since we’re teens. He’s a fellow comedian, the funniest I’ve ever met."

"I wanted to post a pic & an IG story about it — so I did. The friend is Dave Chappelle. Thirty four YEARS we’ve been friends."

Tim Pool joked about the controversy on Twitter.

Chappelle's recent Netflix special, "The Closer," could be described as polarizing. The comedy icon has refused to back down on jokes he has made about trans people previously, and, during "The Closer," even continued the thread, in defiance to his detractors.