Kevin Hart has flourished as an entertainer over the past several years, but 2022 is certainly turning out to be one of the most eventful of his career. The star has a few high-profile films that either have or will be released and, earlier this year, he made a business move that guarantees we’ll see more of his TV shows and films for years to come. And the icing on the cake, so to speak, is that Hart recently celebrated his 43rd birthday with a party that included fresh outfits and even Russell Westbrook. The performer managed to top all of that, though, when he performed at Madison Square Garden alongside Chris Rock this past weekend, where Dave Chappelle surprisingly opened for them. After the performance went viral, Hart shared an enthusiastic post to mark the big occasion.
Many performers – whether they be comedians, musicians or the like – dream of performing at a place as grand as Madison Square Garden. And based on Kevin Hart’s post on his Instagram, he was indeed one of those people. The star signified the accomplishment by posting a black-and-white photo that shows him, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle chopping it up behind the scenes. He also reflected on the night in his caption, calling the performance “the best moment of his career”:
Last night was by far the best moment of my career….I can’t even explain it…I can’t find the words…Just know that last night was the true definition of a “EPIC NIGHT” …..I love my brothers more than words can explain. What we did to the Garden will never be done again….We made history last night!!!!!!!!
He, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are three of the most recognizable names in the comedy industry. So having all three appear at a show together at MSG is certainly a big deal. You can check out Hart’s post, complete with the aforementioned still, down below:
Audiences were said to be totally unaware of Dave Chappelle’s involvement in the show. Apparently, the comic appeared while Radiohead's iconic tune, “Karma Police” played and proceeded to give a 20-minute comedy set for attendees. While on stage, he also addressed the cancellation of another recent show he had planned at Minneapolis’ First Avenue. The venue cancelled the performance due to backlash Chappelle has received as of late and released a statement saying that it wants to make the locations “the safest spaces in the country.”
The Chappelle’s Show creator found himself at the center of controversy after making jokes in his Netflix special, Sticks & Stones, that were deemed transphobic. Said backlash also led to a testy Q&A with students at his alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C. The school was set to name a theater after him, but the comic ultimately suggested that it be called Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression.
Amid these controversies, Kevin Hart has continued to support Dave Chappelle. Months ago, he spoke out after Chappelle was attacked while on stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Hart didn’t find the situation to be “scary” and asserted that because the attacker was tackled by security immediately, it would send a “message” to others who might try to do the same.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t the only time that Kevin Hart works with both Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. The show seemed to be a hit, and all three could try to do something that even tops MSG. After all, if Hart has proven anything over the course of his career, he’s all about putting on a massive show for his fans.
