Chris Hardwick Talk Show On Hold, Comedian Taken Off KAABOO Festival Lineup Following Abuse Allegations

AP Photo – Chris Hardwick
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Comedian Chris Hardwick, known for co-hosting “The Nerdist” podcast and a previous host of the Pollstar Awards, has been taken off of the KAABOO Del Mar festival lineup, with AMC saying his cable TV is on hold as well after allegations of abuse from a former girlfriend.

“We have made the decision to pull Chris Hardwick from the KAABOO Del Mar 2018 comedy lineup following detailed accusations of substantial abuse,” the Southern California festival stated. “KAABOO is an experience dedicated to providing a safe community and fostering an inclusive environment for all of our guests, performing artists and comedians, chefs, visual artists and team members. KAABOO does not condone, and will not tolerate, any type of abusive behavior or harassment.”

This year’s KAABOO Del Mar features Katy Perry, Imagine Dragons, Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters and many more September 14-16. The high-end “elevated” festival also features comedy, this year including Craig Ferguson, Nick Offerman, Pauly Shore, Louie Anderson, and others. Madison Entertainment’s Roger LeBlanc is talent buyer for KAABOO’s music lineup while Adam Spriggs books the comedy.

AMC Networks said Hardwick’s cable talk show is on hold and he has withdrawn as moderator of AMC and BBC America’s Comic-Con panels. While the company said it had a positive working relationship with the host and producer, it takes “troubling” allegations by Hardwick’s his former girlfriend, Chloe Dykstra, according to the Associated Press.

In an online post, Dykstra lodged claims of sexual assault and emotional abuse against a man whom she didn’t identify but included details about his age and work history that led many to link her allegations to Hardwick, who acknowledged Dykstra was referring to him as he denied her claims.

“I was heartbroken to read Chloe’s post,” Hardwick said in a statement provided Saturday to The Associated Press. He said the couple’s three-year relationship was imperfect and included arguments, but he loved her.

Hardwick said he “did my best to uplift and support her as a partner and companion in any way and at no time did I sexually assault her,” adding that he was “devastated” and “blindsided” by her post accusing him of conduct that he said didn’t occur.

“As a husband, a son, and future father, I do not condone any kind of mistreatment of women,” he said.

Hardwick’s name was removed from the Nerdist website, which said the behavior claimed in the post by Dykstra is contrary to what it stands for.

In a statement, Legendary said references to Hardwick as Nerdist’s founder were deleted pending further investigation.

It said Hardwick’s contract expired in December 2017 and he no longer has any affiliation with Nerdist or Legendary’s digital media division.

Hardwick hosted the Pollstar Awards in 2011 and 2012, and most recently had standup dates at Stand Up Live in Phoenix in February, and played festivals last year including the New York Comedy Festival as well as San Francisco events such as Colossal Clusterfest, SF Sketchfest  and ID10T Music Festival and Comic Conival.