Dave Chappelle Responds to Trans Joke Controversy: ‘F*ck Twitter, F*ck NBC News, ABC News, All These Stupid Ass Networks’
Dave Chappelle addressed the reaction to his latest Netflix special at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
The comedian was there for a screening of his documentary about the the comic summer camp he put on last year in Ohio, which also featured appearances by Snoop Dogg, Nas, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Stevie Wonder, Lizzo, Jeff Ross, and Jon Hamm.
“If this is what being canceled is like, I love it,” Chappelle said in response to a standing ovation from the crowd, which included Brad Pitt and Tiffany Haddish, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Chappelle was referring to the backlash sparked by his Netflix special The Closer, in which he declared, “Gender is a fact,” adding, “Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact.”
The comedian additionally declared himself a member of “team TERF” — the acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, defending J.K. Rowling and DaBaby their past comments on the LGBTQ+ community.
In response to the special, GLAAD released a statement saying, “Chappelle’s brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities.”
Dave Chappelle’s brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities. Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don’t support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree. https://t.co/yOIyT54819
— GLAAD (@glaad) October 6, 2021
“Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don’t support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes,” the statement added. “We agree.”
The National Black Justice Coalition also called for Netflix to remove the special, saying, “Perpetuating transphobia perpetuates violence.”
Jaclyn Moore, executive producer of Netflix’s Dear White People, additionally vowed that she would not work with the streamer again, as it continues to “profit from blatantly and dangerously transphobic content.”
“Fuck Twitter. Fuck NBC News, ABC News, all these stupid ass networks,” Chappelle told the crowd of the reaction. “I’m not talking to them. I’m talking to you. This is real life.”
