Dave Chappelle’s recent list of demands for speaking with Netflix employees are looking even worse after his Thursday night show in New Orleans. In the process of making those demands last week, he took a swing at Hannah Gadsby (who criticized his “emotionally stunted partial world view”), and he praised Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos for being “the only one that didn’t cancel me yet.” Chappelle appeared to be very upset at the backlash over his latest Netflix special, The Closer, in which he declared himself “Team TERF” and in agreement with J.K. Rowling’s statements about gender. Also, a recent interview from a Netflix walkout organizer expressed disappointment for how Dave’s “mocking us” with his demands.
The mocking appeared to continue during Chappelle’s sold-out Thursday night set, as reported by NOLA.com‘s Keith Spera. The show took place at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center with Joe Rogan, who performed before Chappelle while insisting that (of his own remarks, “These are just jokes. They’re not even my real opinions”). Chappelle, who has complained that he’s been cancelled from film festivals (where he was booked for his upcoming documentary) remarked onstage that he’s endured “the worst three weeks of my life.” He doesn’t appear to regret his remarks about trans people during The Closer (and previous specials, including Sticks and Stones), however, because he told even more trans jokes during the set:
When an audience member offered a cup of beer, Chappelle declined out of fear it might contain “transgender formula.”
His revelation that one of his two well-dressed bodyguards previously played for the Dallas Cowboys was met with a chorus of boos. “Travis, hear that?” he retorted. “Sounds like someone’s team loses a lot.”
When the audience objected further, he quipped, “Don’t go all trans on me.”
Why, someone had asked him, did he need bodyguards? “Because these transgenders are trying to kill me!”
From there, Dave remarked upon how his wife had given him a pistol, “which, he complained, was not the manliest of weapons” due to its “pearl-handled, nickel-plated” design. And he referred to Louis C.K. as “my friend” who called him “a master baiter,” which was a reference not only to Louis C.K.’s own downfall but to an upcoming article about Chappelle that refers to him as “Cancel Bait.” Well, Chappelle’s audience hasn’t cancelled him and was there for him on Thursday night. The show was sold out and possibly the largest crowd ever to grace the Smoothie King Center, according to NOLA.com.
Meanwhile, Netflix has yet to comment upon Dave’s list of demands to speak with Netflix’s trans employees, who — it must be mentioned — haven’t expressed any interest in sitting down with him. Ted Sarandos previously claimed that “content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm” before Netflix issued an apologetic statement while also expressing support for the employee walkout.
(Via NOLA.com)