Thursday, March 28, 2024

Dave Chappelle to Produce 4 Comedy Specials for Netflix

Dave Chappelle: The Closer. c. Mathieu Bitton

*Dave Chappelle’s relationship with Netflix is still going strong following the fallout surrounding his “The Closer” comedy special, which criticized the transgender community.

Chappelle will host and executive produce four upcoming comedy specials for the streaming giant, collectively titled “Chappelle’s Home Team,” PEOPLE reports. The stand-alone shows will each feature a different comic introduced by Chappelle, according to a Netflix press release. 

Per Variety, “Titled “Earthquake: Legendary,” the first special features Earthquake discussing health as wealth, prostate exams and disciplining kids. The second special, with premiere date yet to be announced, features Donnell Rawlings, another comic from Washington.”

READ MORE: Who’s Says Dave Chappelle’s Cancelled? – He Picked Up Grammy Despite Netflix Backlash 

Dave Chappelle - Netflix
Dave Chappelle – Netflix

“I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” Chappelle said. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.”

Along with Chappelle, executive producers include Earthquake, Rikki Hughes, Jermaine Smith and Stan Lathan, who also serves as director.

“Earthquake: Legendary” will premiere on the platform on Feb. 28. Rawlings’ special has yet to receive a release date.

In “The Closer,” Chappelle targets transgender people and caught so much heat from doing so that the LGBT’s worked overtime to cancel the comic — but failed miserably. 

Back in October Chappelle posted a clip to his official Instagram page in which he responded to the controversy over “The Closer.”

“To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me,” the comedian says in the five-minute clip. “I am not bending to anyone’s demands,” he said.

In the clip, Chappelle slammed reports that he was invited to meet with transgender employees at Netflix but refused. 

“It was 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 in a video taken during a stand-up comedy show late last year.

“If they invited me, I would have accepted it, although I’m confused about what we’re speaking about,” he continued. “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 to the office anymore.”

Chappelle then joked that he has several conditions they must meet before he meets with the trans community. 

“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,” he said. “And if you want to meet with me, I’d be more than willing to, but I have some conditions. 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.”

Gadsby, an Australian comedian, and star of Netflix’s “Nannette,” slammed Chappelle on October 15 and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos for defending “The Closer.”

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