Following this week’s release of Dave Chappelle‘s latest Netflix special, The Closer, the comedian has been embroiled in controversy thanks to declaring himself “Team TERF” while defending transphobic remarks by author J.K. Rowling. Chappelle also made incendiary comments of his own by saying during the special that “gender is a fact” and “every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman” to be born. (Additionally, Chappelle defended homophobic comments made by DaBaby.)
However, despite the growing controversy, the comedian seems unfazed by his detractors. During a star-studded screening of Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary on Thursday night, the comic embraced his current “cancelled” status while being feted by the crowd. Via The Hollywood Reporter:
“If this is what being canceled is like, I love it,” the 48-year-old said in response to a standing ovation. The line, and many more like it, was greeted by rapturous applause from the crowd, which included a masked Brad Pitt, Tiffany Haddish, Donnell Rawlings and others. At another point, he was more blunt: “F*ck Twitter. F*ck NBC News, ABC News, all these stupid ass networks. I’m not talking to them. I’m talking to you. This is real life.”
But while Chappelle doesn’t seem concerned with his words, Dear White People showrunner Jaclyn Moore has spoken out and announced that she will (apparently) no longer be working with Netflix if it continues to profit from hate speech.
“I love so many of the people I’ve worked with at Netflix. Brilliant people and executives who have been collaborative and fought for important art. But I’ve been thrown against walls because, ‘I’m not a ‘real’ woman.’ I’ve had beer bottles thrown at me. So, @Netflix, I’m done,” Moore tweeted.
You can see Moore’s statement below:
Chappelle was one of my heroes. I was at his comeback show in NYC. But he said he’s a TERF. He compared my existence to someone doing blackface. He talks about someone winning a Woman of the Year award despite never having a period should make women mad and that it makes him mad.
— Jaclyn Moore (@JaclynPMoore) October 7, 2021
So when he says people should be mad a trans woman won a “Woman of the Year” award… When he misgenders… When he says he should’ve told that mother her daughter WAS A DUDE… I just can’t… I can’t be a part of a company that thinks that’s worth putting out and celebrating.
— Jaclyn Moore (@JaclynPMoore) October 7, 2021
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)