Netflix’s annual comedy festival will have an iconic opening act, as Dave Chappelle announced that he will be taking part in the 2026 Netflix is a Joke Fest with a bit of a cinematic twist.
The announcement came in the form of a trailer featuring Chappelle sitting outside, smoking a cigarette as Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman narrates. “Dave’s pulling up,” Freeman intones, adding: “And now, we’ve got a ball game.” The festival logo along with Chappelle’s logo are then displayed over the Los Angeles skyline.
The comedian will be performing for three nights at the Hollywood Palladium to start off the festival on May 7, with the last night of the residency on May 9. The Dave Chappelle: Pulling Up residency will be another immersive event, meaning that all attendees will be required to use Yondr pouches to lock up smartphones, smartwatches and accessories. So far, there’s no word on the musical acts that will perform during the residency with Chappelle.
It’s another hallmark of Chappelle’s longstanding relationship with the streaming giant, and his first appearance at the festival since 2022, when he was attacked onstage by a spectator named Isaiah Lee. Chappelle would be unharmed, while Lee would be subdued and sentenced to 270 days in jail for the incident.
His last special, Unstoppable, was released last December on the platform. It was his eighth for Netflix, while his special The Dreamer, which was released on Christmas Eve in 2023, nabbed him a Grammy Award. Tickets for Dave Chappelle: Pulling Up will be on sale to the public Wednesday (April 29) at 10 a.m. Pacific time via Ticketmaster.
This year’s Netflix is a Joke Fest will feature 350 acts across the city during the festival’s run. Other comedians slated to appear include Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, and Katt Williams, who is reportedly set to perform at the Intuit Dome.
