Dave Chapelle-hosted 'SNL' episode ratings soar amid backlash

NBC's decision to get controversial comedian Dave Chapelle to host 'Saturday Night Live' proved beneficial, as the show ratings hit a season-high.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Closer comedian episode raked in 4.8 million viewers and a 0.9 rating in the adult range of 18-49 demography.

The 49-year-old hosted the NBC late-night 48th season's sixth episode, which has been poorly performing due to a major cast shakeup.

However, on average, SNL has been getting 4 million viewers, a clear down to 20 percent from last fall. But on the other side, it is not that much of a considerable rise if compared to the earlier week episode host Amy Schumer brought in 4.3 million.

Moreover, the numbers also saw a significant decline from Chappelle's last time hosting the series, back in 2020, which spiraled the show to 9 million viewers and a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49, which was the also slated as the highest-rated SNL in the demo in three years. The Half Baked actor also won an Emmy for guest hosting that episode.

The comedian's monologue, which scored 6.4 million views on YouTube, included comments where Chappelle addressed the controversy surrounding Kanye West's antisemitic tirades.

"I've been to Hollywood," Chappelle said. "This is just what I saw: It's a lot of Jews. Like, a lot. But that doesn't mean anything! … There's a lot of Black people in Ferguson, Missouri. Doesn't mean they run the place." The comedian said he understood how somebody could "adopt the delusion" that Jewish people "run show business. It's not a crazy thing to think. But it's a crazy thing to say out loud in a climate like this."