Entertainment

Dave Chappelle tests positive for COVID-19; cancels shows

Dave Chappelle tested positive for the coronavirus just before his comedy show scheduled for Thursday, forcing his upcoming appearances to be cancelled, a spokesperson said.

Comedian Joe Rogan, who met with Chappelle days earlier, says he has since tested negative

Comedian Dave Chappelle tested positive for the novel coronavirus just before his comedy show scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 21, forcing his upcoming appearances to be cancelled. (Owen Sweeney/Invision/The Associated Press)

Dave Chappelle tested positive for the coronavirus just before his comedy show scheduled for Thursday, forcing his upcoming appearances to be cancelled, a spokesperson said.

Chappelle was expected to perform Thursday through Sunday at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas. Those shows have been cancelled and Chappelle is quarantining, his representative Carla Sims said in a statement. The comedian is asymptomatic.

Chappelle had been performing socially-distanced shows in Ohio since June, and moved his shows to Austin during the winter, Sims said. Rapid testing for the audience and daily tests for Chappelle and his team were implemented.

Comedian Joe Rogan was also scheduled to perform at the shows Friday and Saturday. He apologized on Instagram to followers for the cancellations, saying they'd be rescheduled.

A post earlier this week showed Rogan at Stubb's with Chappelle and other stars including Donnell Rawlings, Ron White, Elon Musk and the pop artist Grimes.

Grimes — the Vancouver-born musician whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher — shared two weeks ago that she had contracted COVID-19, and was "weirdly enjoying" the experience.

Rogan later wrote that he was not exposed "to the person who had COVID" at the gathering, and that he has since tested negative for the virus. He also said that Chappelle did not contract the virus from Grimes. 

Refunds will be available for ticketholders at their point of purchase.

With files from CBC News