Hollywood
Dave Chappelle Says He’s “Not Bending To Anyone’s Demands”
Dave Chappelle questions, “Am I cancelled or not?” in a new video shared amid ongoing criticism over his Netflix special, The Closer.
Chappelle faced backlash from critics following his routine, in which he said, “Gender is a fact.”
In a video posted to Instagram, Chappelle said he was willing to open dialogue with the transgender community but added that he would not be “summoned”.
“It’s been said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix and I refused. That is not true – if they had invited me I would have accepted it,” said Chappelle.
“Although I am confused about what exactly we would be speaking about. I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not?”
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“You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix,” he added, “Well, it seems like I’m the only one that can’t go to the office anymore.”
The 48-year-old comedian said that everyone he knew from the LGBTQ+ community had been loving and supportive. “This has nothing to do with them,” said Chappelle. “It’s about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say.”
“To the transgender community,” he continued. “I am more than willing to give you an audience. But you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody’s demands.”
Chappelle went on to say that “no one will touch” his new documentary, Untitled, due to the controversy. The film, which touches on the death of George Floyd, will now be made available in ten US cities.
“You can judge for yourself,” he said. “But you cannot have this conversation and exclude my voice from it.”
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