'What the f*ck happened to this place?': Dave Chappelle SLAMS San Francisco in comedy set

During a surprise show at the San Francisco Masonic Auditorium on Thursday night, comedian Dave Chappelle exclaimed, "What the f--- happened to this place?" referencing the homelessness crisis in the Golden City.

The comedian referred to the city as his "second home" during the set, according to SFGate, and then went on to recount an experience that he had a few nights earlier during his trip to the city.


 
The "Closer" star told the crowd that he was eating at an Indian restaurant in the city's Tenderloin district and said a homeless person defecated in front of the eatery as Chappelle was walking in. 

The comedian said the city had devolved into a "half ‘Glee,’ half zombie movie" and added that the entire city had become the Tenderloin District now, an area known for its crime, homelessness, and drug problems. 

"Y’all [expletive] need a Batman!" Chappelle stated.

According to recent counts, approximately 38,000 people are living on the streets in San Francisco on any given night, a 35 percent increase since 2019. 

Making matters worse is a police staffing shortage, a 12 percent decrease in its number of full-duty sworn officers from 2019 to 2022.

According to The US Department of Housing and Urban Development's "Point in Time" survey, conducted in January 2022 and released at year's end, a third of the US's entire homeless population and half of all unsheltered homeless people live in California. 

The survey showed that around 115,500 "unsheltered" people – half of the total roughly 233,800 "unsheltered" population – reside in the Golden State. "Homeless but sheltered" spiked 17 percent since 2020, while the "unsheltered" population rose by around 2 percent. 

The PPIC wrote in an analysis of the report, "The rest of the country’s unsheltered population grew faster than California’s (4 percent), while its sheltered population actually shrank (-2 percent)."

A poll published this week, conducted by the Bay Area Council, showed that only a small percentage of San Francisco residents feel safe while taking public transit due to homelessness and crime.

T-Mobile shuttered its flagship store in the city last month amid decreased foot traffic and rampant crime. Retail giant Nordstrom also announced it will be closing both of its stores in downtown San Francisco in the coming months, due to the changing "dynamics" of the downtown market as the region continues to be plagued by retail thefts. Whole Foods also succumbed to San Francisco's lawlessness and permanently shuttered its doors just after one year of being open. Walgreens closed several locations in the city and Best Buy has struggled with issues from organized retail crime. Saks OFF 5th is also planning to close a location on the same block as Nordstrom Rack this year, according to The Standard. Over 20 retailers have closed stores or announced closures in the Union Square area since 2020.