Dave Chappelle is set to bring a new stand-up special to Netflix on New Year’s Eve. The question is, will he bring more controversy to the platform?
The streamer announced the special this week with a teaser video on its “Netflix is a Joke” account on X/Twitter. The clip featured Chappelle’s voice saying, “Thank you. Let’s go, let’s go.” In the background, another voice said, “He’s back, folks.”
The still untitled special marks the comedian’s return to the streaming service after a two-year hiatus, following the release of his 2021 stand-up special, The Closer, which was both praised and panned.
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Dave Chappelle's latest comedy special will launch globally on Netflix, December 31st pic.twitter.com/zucnnpKPVV
— Netflix Is A Joke (@NetflixIsAJoke) December 6, 2023
The Emmy-winning comic faced backlash from LGBTQ activists for his remarks about transgender women and gay people in that special.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) called the special “hostile” and transphobic. And some Netflix employees walked off the job in protest.
But Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos stood firm, announcing that the streaming giant would not remove The Closer.
Despite the criticism, The Closer went on to win the Best Comedy Album trophy at the 65th Grammys, securing Chappelle his fourth Grammy Award.
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This success was part of a lucrative 2016 deal Chappelle signed with Netflix for a reported $60 million for three specials. He released The Age Of Spin; Deep In The Heart Of Texas; Equanimity; and The Bird Revelation, all in 2017.
In October 2021, Bloomberg cited leaked internal Netflix documents in a report that said the streamer paid $24.1 million for The Closer and $23.6 million for Chappelle’s 2019 special Sticks & Stones.
Sticks and Stones also courted controversy for jokes about the Michael Jackson and R. Kelly abuse allegations, the LGBTQ community, and cancel culture.
Chappelle’s journey has been met by both acclaim and controversy, including a physical altercation during a performance at the “Netflix Is A Joke” comedy festival in Los Angeles in May 2022, as previously reported.
An attacker, who identified as bisexual, claimed he was “triggered” by Chappelle’s jokes and tackled the comedian on stage. Several people rushed in to protect Chappelle, including actor and comedian Jamie Foxx.
The LAPD said the attacker was armed with a replica handgun that had a retractable knife blade. No one was seriously hurt. The man was arrested and pleaded no contest to battery and was sentenced to 270 days in county jail, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office said.
