The Jimmy Dore Show

Episode: Dave Chappelle UNLOADS On Bill Maher Over Saudi Arabia & Israel!
Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Jimmy Dore
Co-host: Kurt Metzger

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the controversy sparked by Dave Chappelle performing in Saudi Arabia, the ensuing criticism—especially from Bill Maher—and Chappelle's retaliatory jokes regarding U.S. and Israeli hypocrisy. Jimmy Dore and Kurt Metzger break down themes of censorship, free speech, U.S. and Saudi complicity in journalist deaths, the weaponization of “antisemitism” accusations, and the Epstein files saga. The tone is combative, irreverent, and deeply skeptical of mainstream narratives and establishment figures.

Key Discussion Points

1. Bill Maher, Dave Chappelle & the Saudi Arabia Comedy Festival (01:32 – 13:10)

• Bill Maher’s Critique:
  Bill Maher criticizes Chappelle’s statement that he can “speak more freely” in Saudi Arabia than in America, questioning its truth due to Saudi restrictions on speech about Muhammad and the royal family.
  • “Do your honk on Muhammad… You can’t talk about Muhammad or the leader.” (02:25)
• Chappelle’s Response:
  Chappelle fires back, accusing Maher of hypocrisy and focusing only on certain regimes’ crimes while ignoring Israeli actions.
  • "I've never said this publicly, but fuck that guy. I'm so fucking tired of this little smug cracker ass commentary..." (03:36)
  • Chappelle jokes about Khashoggi’s murder vs. journalists killed by Israel:
    • “Look, bro, Israel's killed 240 journalists in the last three months. So I didn't know y’all was still counting.” (04:37)
• Dore’s Take:
  Jimmy challenges Chappelle's claim about speech freedom, highlighting the NDA/contract comedians must sign in Saudi Arabia.
  • “Artists shall not prepare or perform any material that may be considered to degrade, defame… the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its leadership, its public figures, its culture, or its people.” (08:19)
  • Dore admits he wouldn’t have gone, out of fear for his safety, but would never sign such a contract (09:55).

Notable Quote:

“My problem… is that he doesn’t need the money. He didn’t need to go there to do that show. And he said he had more freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia than he has in the United States.”
— Jimmy Dore (05:22, 07:55)

Memorable Moment:

Chappelle's biting comeback about Israel's killing of journalists, flipping the criticism back on Maher and the U.S. media (04:37).

2. Double-Standards, Free Speech, and Hypocrisy (11:58 – 17:21)

• Contracts and Censorship:
  Dore illustrates that Saudi agreements restrict comedians far more than anything he's seen in the U.S.
• Debating American vs. Saudi Repression:
  Kurt argues America is worse, referencing media cover-ups (e.g., Epstein), while Dore concedes the U.S. is a major bad actor but emphasizes the chilling effect of explicit, government-mandated censorship.
  • “I agree with you that the United States is a bigger terrorist than Saudi Arabia, that’s for sure.” (13:28)
• Tim Dillon’s Example:
  Jimmy praises Tim Dillon, who openly admitted to taking the Saudi gig for the money and made as much fun of censorship as he could before being fired from the festival.
  • “I am doing this because they’re paying me a large sum of money… enough money to look the other way if something bad is happening.” — Tim Dillon (15:03)
• Comedic Lines and Integrity:
  Dore and Kurt acknowledge taking gigs for money but draw moral boundaries around explicit censorship and complicity.

3. Chappelle’s Power, Integrity, and “Co-Option” Bit (17:21 – 21:04)

• Chappelle’s Closing Bit:
  Jimmy and Kurt play a clip where Chappelle jokes about establishing a “code word” so the audience knows if he’s ever compromised:
  • “What if these niggas trip me up somehow, co-opt me, and then make me say the things that they want me to say? We can't have that… The code word is ‘I stand with Israel.’ Thank you very much and good night.” (18:15)
• Chappelle’s Rank Among Comedians:
  Discussion about where Chappelle ranks compared to Carlin, Hicks, Regan, etc.

Notable Quote:

“The code word is ‘I stand with Israel.’ Thank you very much and good night.”
— Dave Chappelle (as played on the show) (18:15)

Memorable Moment:

Chappelle’s “code word" joke—critiquing the contemporary expectation that celebrities toe establishment lines—lands hard and is praised by Dore as one of the best moments. (18:15)

4. Debate on Israeli/Zionist Identity, Antisemitism Accusations & Media Spin (27:01 – 39:58)

• StopAntisemitism’s “Antisemite of the Year”
  Jimmy and Kurt lampoon the awarding of “Antisemite of the Year” by the group Stop Antisemitism (to Tucker Carlson for 2025), critiquing what constitutes antisemitism.
• Jewish Identity & "Semite" Linguistics:
  They discuss who “real Semites” are; Jimmy claims Palestinians are the true Semites, while most Israeli Jews are Ashkenazi from Eastern Europe.
  • “Most of the people in Israel… come from Europe. They’re not actually Semites. That’s the problem.” (27:43)
• Weaponization of Antisemitism:
  They highlight former Israeli minister Shulamit Aloni’s candid admission (played at 37:35) that accusations of antisemitism (and references to the Holocaust) are a political weapon to silence criticism of Israel:
  • “It’s a trick. We always use it... As soon as someone criticizes Israel, then we bring up the Holocaust or call them antisemitic.” (37:35)

Notable Quote:

“It’s a trick. We always use it... As soon as someone criticizes Israel, then we bring up the Holocaust or call them antisemitic.”
— Shulamit Aloni, former Israeli minister (played by Jimmy, 37:35)

Memorable Moment:

Extended riff on “support the troops but not the tropes” and how terms like “antisemite” and “platforming” have been neutered (30:07 – 30:28).

5. The Epstein Files, Government & Media Corruption (40:44 – 54:22)

• Epstein Photo File Deletions:
  Discussion of the DOJ quietly removing Epstein files featuring Trump, followed by official rationalizations (41:52).
• Elite Complicity:
  Dore and Kurt argue both parties are compromised, referencing evidence against Trump, Biden, Clinton, and others.
  • “Your entire government is run by blackmailed PDF files. Ok, just so you know.” (52:47)
• Ashley Biden’s Diary:
  Brief mention of Biden’s daughter’s diary alleging inappropriate showers, arguing hypocrisy and cover-up is rampant (53:23).

Notable Quote:

“Your entire government is run by blackmailed PDF files.”
— Jimmy Dore (52:47)

Memorable Moment:

Imaginary Trump boasting about being in the Epstein files, mocking media cover-ups (47:43).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Chappelle Roasts Maher on Hypocrisy:
  “Look, bro, Israel’s killed 240 journalists in the last three months. So I didn’t know y’all was still counting.” — Dave Chappelle (via playback) (04:37)

• Jimmy on Contract Censorship:
  “Artists shall not prepare or perform any material that may… defame… the kingdom of Saudi Arabia… You can’t make fun of anything.” — Jimmy Dore (08:19)

• Chappelle’s “Code Word” Joke:
  “The code word is ‘I stand with Israel.’ Thank you very much and good night.” — Dave Chappelle (18:15)

• Shulamit Aloni (Israeli Minister):
  “It’s a trick. We always use it for anyone criticizing Israel: bring up the Holocaust; call them antisemitic.” (37:35)

• Jimmy Dore on U.S. Complicity:
  “Your entire government is run by blackmailed PDF files.” (52:47)

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 01:32 | Chappelle-Saudi comedy festival controversy introduced | | 02:17 | Bill Maher’s critique & discussion of Saudi speech restrictions | | 03:36 | Chappelle’s raw clap-back at Maher | | 04:37 | Chappelle’s joke: “I didn’t know y’all was still counting” journalists killed by Israel | | 07:55 | Breakdown of the Saudi performance contract | | 13:28 | Jimmy and Kurt agree the U.S. is “a bigger terrorist than Saudi Arabia” | | 15:03 | Tim Dillon’s honesty about doing the gig just for the big money | | 18:15 | Chappelle’s “code word” for being co-opted: “I stand with Israel” | | 27:01 | Antisemitism “award” for Tucker Carlson & debate on “Semite” identity | | 37:35 | Former Israeli minister Shulamit Aloni on strategic use of Holocaust/antisemitism | | 40:44 | Epstein file deletion by the DOJ and establishment corruption | | 52:47 | “Your entire government is run by blackmailed PDF files” | | 53:23 | Reference to Ashley Biden’s diary |

Additional Highlights

• Comedy’s Role & Integrity:
  Dore repeatedly defends the sanctity of comedy as a tool for challenging power, admiring comics who punch up and calling out those who accept government-imposed limits.

• Neutering of Language:
  The hosts observe how phrases like “platforming” and “antisemitism” have lost force due to overuse and misapplication, drawing parallels with woke culture’s excesses.

• Epstein/Elite Commentary:
  Running jokes about the Epstein saga, collusion between elites, and the seeming impossibility of true accountability for the powerful ("DOJ redacts the files, both parties are dirty" (52:47)).

Summary

This episode delivers a fiery, no-holds-barred examination of hypocrisy in free speech debates, the ways accusations of antisemitism are leveraged to shield Israeli policy, and the incessant corruption among American elites. Chappelle’s willingness to skewer sacred cows is both praised and critiqued, especially in light of his Saudi appearance and his devastating joke on Israel’s actions. Dore positions himself as a principled critic, holding both U.S. and foreign power to account, skeptical of narratives from Maher and the mainstream. The episode is laced with gallows humor, disillusionment, and a demand for more honesty—especially from those with money and influence.

If You Missed the Episode...

• The Chappelle–Maher–Saudi Arabia drama is used as a prism for broader questions about speech, complicity, and the real boundaries set by wealth and power.
• Dore is unsparing toward both U.S. and foreign hypocrisy, and situates the “culture war” over comedy in the wider context of violence against journalists and government duplicity.
• Fans of irreverent, anti-establishment comedy and political commentary will find plenty to chew on—especially at the volatile intersection of comedy, media, and geopolitical double-standards.