Kevin Hart Opens Up About Friendship With Dave Chappelle In Sweet Post, Then Reveals How His Barber Trolled Him Over It

Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle
(Image credit: Netflix/NBC)

Many comedians tend to be very close, forging their own cliques within the vast sea of comedic entertainers. This is certainly true for Kevin Hart, who usually chops it up with a set group of talented notable comics like himself. A particularly famous friend in his social group is Dave Chappelle, who he’s known for some time now. The hilarious Hart can be sentimental when he wants to be, and he showed that side of himself when he opened up about his friendship with Chappelle. He also managed to inject a little humor into his sentiments, as he mentioned how his trainer trolled him over the connection. 

Kevin Hart uses social media for a number of reasons, including highlighting his projects and showing off how he spends his downtime. He also, however, uses it to highlight his buddies, and that’s exactly what he did for Dave Chappelle recently. Hart shared a post on his Instagram, in which he revealed that Chappelle recently supported him at a show. And based on the Jumanji alum’s caption, he has nothing but love for the Chappelle’s Show alum for his support and more: 

Nothing better than backstage talks with my brother….popped up on me in Dayton Ohio & did a surprise set and then hung out. Iron sharpens IRON….He is and will be a forever motivating factor for me in this comedy game. What’s understood never needs to be said….I love my guy!

It sounds like these two are thick as thieves at this point. One would think that they’re able to bond over their shared experiences as both men and successful comedians. I would imagine that when you’re a public figure, it helps to have someone in your corner who understands just what you’re going through. 

Of course, while a bond can be endearing to some, it can also serve as fodder for jokes. Later in the caption, the Central Intelligence star shouted out his barber, John Clausell, as the stylist apparently “switched up” on his client after the Con Air alum came through. Check out what Clausell did by looking at the post: 

Well, Dave Chappelle is a revered comedian, so it’s not surprising that the barber would humorously shift his allegiances upon his arrival. Though Chappelle has also stoked up his fair share of controversy over the past few years. Many took issue with comments he made during his 2021 Netflix special, The Closer, which were deemed transphobic. Amid the drama, company CEO Ted Sarandos spoke out and defended the release of the stand-up program, citing “artistic freedom” as a reason for keeping it on the streamer. 

Kevin Hart also stood by the entertainer’s side as well and knows what it’s like to face controversy. Back in 2018, Hart received backlash after past homophobic tweets were dug up from his Twitter account, leading him to publicly apologize and step down as host of the 2019 Oscars. While it can’t be said for sure, one would think that this was another way in which Hart finds himself identifying with his hero. 

Since Dave Chappelle’s situation, he and Kevin Hart have worked together on a few occasions. Chappelle notably opened for Hart and Chris Rock during a show at Madison Square Garden in July 2022. Later, Hart enthusiastically posted about the whole event going viral. All in all, it looks like he and Chappelle are closer than ever and, if Hart has his way, that’ll likely be the case for as long as possible.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.