Star-studded enthusiasm: Andrew Yang gets boosts from Dave Chappelle and Donald Glover

Andrew Yang has not only become a surprise celebrity in the Democratic presidential field, but he is getting a star-studded wave of support.

Comedian Dave Chappelle is the latest celebrity to boost Yang.

“Dave’s team reached out to our team, and they were thrilled to put the two of us together,” Yang said in New Hampshire on Thursday. “We sat down and talked about his concerns for the country and what we need to do to for the next generation. Dave’s a dad like I am. And then after we met, he said, ‘Look, I want to help, and what can I do to help?’”

Chappelle has not yet announced his support publicly, but Yang said he will perform shows in South Carolina in support of Yang.

“We asked him which of the early states that he might want to perform a couple shows to benefit the campaign. He chose South Carolina, which seemed like a perfect fit,” Yang said.

Yang was unknown nationally before a surge in support for his presidential campaign in the last several months. The 44-year-old tech entrepreneur’s message warning of an increasingly automated economy and proposal for a $1,000-per-month universal basic income for every American has caught the attention of top entertainers and influencers.

Donald Glover, an actor who performs music under the stage names Childish Gambino and mcDJ, became a “creative consultant” for the campaign and designed limited-edition Yang merchandise sold at a pop-up shop in Los Angeles before the December Democratic primary debate.

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In recent weeks, the Yang campaign announced support from actor Steven Yuen of The Walking Dead, Golden Globe-winning actress Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives, actor Dane DeHaan of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, comedian Ken Jeong of Community and The Hangover, and director and screenwriter James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy and Dawn of the Dead.

Billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in an August tweet that he supports Yang’s candidacy. Actor Nicolas Cage and Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey are among those who have donated to Yang’s campaign.

While the Yang campaign has been particularly vocal about his celebrity endorsements, he is not the only Democratic candidate to earn star-studded support.

Singer Ariana Grande announced her support for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in November. Rapper Cardi B created a campaign video where she interviewed Sanders, and musician Jack White of The White Stripes performed at an October Sanders rally.

Singer John Legend and his model wife Chrissy Teigen, who are vocal proponents of Democratic causes, endorsed Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker is dating actress Rosario Dawson, and she has supported his candidacy by signing her name to fundraising letters and appearing at campaign events.

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has raked in donations from many celebrities, but few have publicly backed his candidacy or worked with his campaign. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly co-hosted a fundraising event for Buttigieg.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign on Thursday announced endorsements from actors Vivica A. Fox of Independence Day and Sean Patrick Thomas of Save the Last Dance, the first public Hollywood endorsements of his campaign. Other celebrities, including actor Tom Hanks, have donated to his campaign.

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