Dave Chappelle's latest Netflix special, The Closer, has caused an uproar due to his comments towards the Transgender community. Netflix has still not responded to demands to remove the show from its platforms after some have accused the show of attacking the LGBTQ+ community. Chappelle has now doubled down on his comments in a recent Instagram post stating, “I said what I said”. He agreed to attend a meeting with the transgender employees of Netflix, although he is “confused about what they are speaking about”.
Chappelle further states that he will however meet on his terms-- one being that participants must have watched the special from beginning to end. This is important as Chappelle ends the one-hour special with a story about his friend who killed herself in 2019. Daphne Dorman, 44 was a transgender amateur comic who opened for Chappelle and got dragged on Twitter for defending his previous stand-up Sticks and Stoneson Netflix. Chappelle suggests this might have been the catalyst for her ending her life.
Chappelle revealed in the special that during the show Daphne opened for him, Daphne confronted him when he said: “I love you to death! But I have no f****** idea what you’re talking about.” “I don’t need you to understand me. I just need you to believe that I’m having a human experience!”, she responded. This was the highlight of the special. As Chappelle mentioned, ‘Empathy must go both ways’.
Caitlyn Jenner has come forward to Chappelle’s defence despite being referenced in many of his jokes including in Chappelle’s new special. Caitlyn Jenner said on twitter: "Dave Chappelle is 100% right. This isn't about the LGBTQ+ movement. It's about cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech."
She added: "We must never yield or bow to those who wish to stop us from speaking our minds." This comes after employees at Netflix staged a walkout in order to protest the airing of the special.
Elliot Page, who starred in The Umbrella Academy, amongst other stars showed his support for the Netflix employees' walkout. He wrote on Instagram: "I stand with trans, nonbinary, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) employees at Netflix fighting for more and better trans stories and a more inclusive workplace."
For more insight, The Closer is available to watch on Netflix.
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