Dave Chappelle Responds to Cancel Critics: ‘I Am Not Bending to Anybody’s Demands’

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  • 03/02/2023

Dave Chappelle has a message for his critics at Netflix: get over it. 

In a video clip posted to his Instagram account of a stand-up show in Nashville, Chappelle discussed his cancellation. 

 

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“It’s been said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix and I refused. That is not true,” he said. “If they had invited me, I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about.” 

“I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. Well, it seems like I’m the only one that can’t go into the office anymore,” he said as the crowd went wild. 

“I want everyone in this audience to know that even though the media frames it that it’s me versus that community, that is not what it is. Do not blame the [LGBTQ] community for any of this s***. This has nothing to do with them. It’s about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say,” he continued. 

In response to being canceled, Chappelle will play his documentary at select theaters in 10 major cities, including San Francisco, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Toronto, Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta and New York, BizPacReview reports. He said he is also willing to meet with members of the transgender communities under his terms. 

“To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody’s demands. And if you want to meet with me, I’d be more than willing to, but I have some conditions,” he said. 

“First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing, and thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny!” Chappelle joked. “For the record, and I need you to know this, everyone I know from that community has been loving and supporting, so I don’t know what all this nonsense is about.” 

As previously reported by Human Events News, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos stood strong on the network’s defense of Dave Chappelle following complaints from the company’s transgender employees. Transgender employees were upset about his special, which includes a bit about transgenders and biological reality. 

If you aren’t familiar with the story, Sarandos sent a memo to Netflix managers a few weeks ago detailing the platform’s decision to air Chappelle’s special, “The Closer,” and instructing supervisors on how to handle employees who complained about the comedian’s content. 

“Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate,” he said in the memo. “We don’t allow titles that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don’t believe ‘The Closer’ crosses that line. I recognize, however, that distinguishing between commentary and harm is hard, especially with stand-up comedy which exists to push boundaries. Some people find the art of stand-up to be mean-spirited but our members enjoy it and it’s an important part of our content offering.” 

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