Dave Chappelle ended his show early on Wednesday night in Florida after he spotted an audience member breaking his no-phone rule.
The 50-year-old Washington, D.C. native has been heralded as one of the greatest Black comedians of his generation and has a strict no cellphone recording policy at his shows. He is also very serious about the rule’s enforcement.
According to the Miami Herald, Chappelle reportedly noticed a fan near the front rows with a phone out.
The newspaper reported that Chappelle was angry and scolded the fan before leaving the stage and ending his set early.
Many fans paid over $100 per ticket to see the show.
The venue’s website says select events are “device and electronics free, per the artist’s request.” That means no recording devices will be permitted, including cellphones, smartwatches, cameras, tablets, laptops and even FitBits. These devices are to be secured in Yondr neoprene pouches that will be unlocked at the end of the show.
The aborted show was Chappelle’s second in a five-night stand at the Seminole Hard Rock between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The “Half Baked” star takes the stage Friday and Saturday nights at the same 7,000-seat venue inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Broward.
While there are no recordings of the incident, many attendees expressed their disapproval.
“Few things make you more misanthropic than going to a theater. I saw Dave Chappelle at the Hard Rock tonight, and he (rightfully so) dropped the mic and stormed off the stage. My favorite comedian ever, my first time seeing him, I was so excited, and some p—s had to self-insert,” one person wrote on the X platform.
Another fan blamed the comedian, saying he should have considered the other fans in attendance abiding by his rules.
“That was weak,” the comment read. “He needs to be a professional. We all paid lots of money to see him act like a 7-year-old. So soft.”