‘Wait, Dave Chappelle Can Have White Privilege?’ Bill Maher Mocks ‘Woke’ Outrage Over Comic’s ‘Anti-Trans’ Netflix Show

HBO’s Bill Maher, Andrew Yang, and John McWhorter of the NYT discussed the controversy over Dave Chappelle‘s Netflix comedy special, which this week resulted in some employees walking out and a larger protest outside the building involving opposing groups.

Maher joins podcast host Joe Rogan in defending Chappelle’s comments as not being “transphobic,” and added that defending the comic doesn’t make him anti-trans, either.

Segueing from the previous topic, Maher began by saying that on the topic of being “woke” they should discuss the fallout from the Netflix special that “everybody is talking about.”

“Now if we establish right here at the beginning that all three of us are supporters of all laws that protect trans people, that we believe in all the dignity, equality, and respect that can be afforded to trans people, can we have an honest, free discussion about this?” Maher asked.

“Many people don’t think so,” said McWhorter.

“Many people, right, that’s what bothers me to begin with,” said Maher, “that there is, this is what I call the One True Opinion. Very apropos of your religion theme, John. There is the one true opinion, and … There isn’t. There isn’t just one true opinion.”

“I’m a free speech guy. Now, I’m Team Dave, but that doesn’t mean I’m anti-trans,” said Maher as the audience applauded. “We can have two thoughts in our head at the same time.”

As the discussion continued, Maher said that language is losing its meaning, describing the lack of specificity as well as lack of meaning when people use descriptions like “transphobic” for differing opinions. He also said that, when one of the Netflix employees objecting to the special stated that “this is not an argument with two sides,” that’s when they lose him.

“You know, you’re not automatically right if you’re trans,” Maher said. “You’re completely equal, you’re just not automatically right.”

Maher said that new ideas about gender are expected to suddenly be taken as the one truth and that it’s unrealistic not to expect disagreement on “radical” changes to how the world is viewed. It’s a topic that has come up before on his show.

McWhorter then bashed people who could be described as “woke” for being simplistic. He argued that they are attacking Chappelle for failing to battle “power differentials,” and argued that although “they think of themselves as indicating some sort of higher wisdom,” they actually have “a very simple way of looking at things.”

Simple as in simplistic, basic, or even childlike, as he went on to explain at length.

Maher eventually brought up an article from NPR about Chappelle that accused him of “using white privilege to excuse his homophobia and transphobia.”

“Wait, now Dave Chappelle can have white privilege?” he asked rhetorically. “I’m really confused now.”

Join the club.

Watch the clip above, via HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher tips@mediaite.com