Diving into Dave Chappelle's Controversial Comedy: Unpacking Trans Jokes & Beyond
Unraveling Dave Chappelle's Controversies: From past to present, delve into the thought-provoking journey of the renowned comedian as his Netflix special rekindles discussions on sensitive topics
Dave Chappelle has once again become a hot topic, as his recent Netflix special has brought his past controversies back into the spotlight. The comedian has sparked new controversy with his latest standup special, The Dreamer.
The comedian's focus on the transgender community in his material, making numerous distasteful jokes at their expense, was quickly noticed by viewers. However, this is not the first time that Chappelle has faced controversy in recent years, so here's a timeline of all his major backlashes. Warning: some may find this content upsetting.
Dave Chappelle controversies timeline explained
2017
Chappelle made controversial jokes and backhanded statements about the trans community during his Radio City Music Hall show, spending the first 20 minutes of his set on the subject, as reported by Vulture. The jokes were described as "sloppy and shallow."
Chappelle expressed his surprise at former US president Donald Trump's decision to ban trans officers in the military, stating that it seemed like a "secret weapon" to him. He humorously imagined the shock it would bring to ISIS fighters to see a trans soldier with a beard and "big D-cups titties" charging at them. Despite his lack of understanding about trans people, Chappelle emphasized that his ignorance should not disqualify them from living a life of dignity, happiness, and respect as human beings.
2019
However, he continued by stating that the mainstream media is only addressing trans issues because “white men want to do it”, otherwise the community would be shut down or flat out ignored if it consisted solely of minorities.
Chappelle's fifth special with Netflix, Sticks and Stones, included more content targeting the trans community. Throughout the special, Chappelle stood by his controversial remarks about trans individuals and shared his experiences with trans comedian Daphne Dorman, without offering any apologies.
The comedian claimed that Dorman thanked him for "normalizing trans people" and revealed that she laughed at all of his trans jokes during his shows in San Francisco. However, some audience members interpreted this as using her as a shield from criticism. One particular joke ended with him misgendering her, but he insisted that Dorman would have appreciated the joke despite its offensiveness.
During his performance, he also addressed the audience directly, stating, "If you're part of a group I make jokes about, just remember that I see myself in you. I joke about poor white people because I was once poor." However, he did not provide any explanation for targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, in the same show, he made a controversial joke about his disbelief in sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson, stating, "I bet more than half of you in this room have experienced molestation. But it wasn't by Michael Jackson, was it? This kid had his d*ck sucked by the King of Pop! The rest of us just have awkward Thanksgivings."
2021
Netflix premiered Chappelle’s new special The Closer, where the comedian continued his trend of punching down at trans people.
In this performance, Chappelle referred to a fellow comedian using the wrong gender, mocked the bodies of trans women, and repeatedly referred to trans people as "the transgenders," while insisting that "gender is a fact" because "every human being on earth had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth."
Chappelle also indirectly attributed Dorman's death to the LGBTQ+ community, suggesting that she took her own life because of the backlash she faced for defending him.
Netflix faced backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters for keeping Dave Chappelle's specials on the platform, despite their objection to his targeting of trans individuals. In an internal email obtained by The Verge, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended the decision, stating that they do not host content that promotes hate or violence, and that they believe Chappelle's special does not cross that line. Sarandos acknowledged the difficulty in distinguishing between commentary and harm, particularly in the context of stand-up comedy, but emphasized that stand-up is an important part of their content offering, despite some finding it to be mean-spirited.
Netflix suspended three trans employees, including software engineer Terra Field, for attempting to attend a director-level meeting to which they were not invited. Field, who had previously criticized Dave Chappelle's treatment of the trans community and Netflix's support of him on Twitter, faced additional backlash from the company. However, the employees' suspensions have been reversed. Chappelle addressed these issues during a standup set in Nashville, where he was joined by comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan.
Chappelle shared in a video on Instagram that he plans to meet with his "transgender community" critics, but emphasized that he won't be pressured to do so. He also addressed the misconception that he had declined to speak with the trans Netflix employees who took issue with his special, stating that he never had the chance to talk to them.
"I would have accepted the invitation if they had asked me, even though I'm not sure what we're talking about," Chappelle shared with the audience. "You say you want a safe work environment at Netflix, but it seems like I'm the only one who can't go to the office anymore."
The comedian concluded the five-minute clip by urging his fans not to "blame the LBGTQ community for any of this" because the real issue was related to "corporate interests and limitations on what I can and cannot say." Chappelle also expressed his appreciation for the community's love and support.
2022
Chappelle was targeted by an audience member, Isaiah Lee, wielding a fake gun with a concealed knife, during his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival at the Hollywood Bowl in May.
Lee revealed that he had stormed the stage because of Chappelle's talk about "triggering" topics like the LGBTQ+ community, homelessness, and pedophilia.
"As a bisexual person, I felt triggered by what he said," Lee expressed. "I wanted to let him know that he should think about running his material by those it could impact." Lee was eventually given a 270-day sentence in county jail.
Months later, Saturday Night Live announced that Chappelle would be returning to host the show after the November midterms. However, the announcement was met with backlash. Page Six reported that some writers were boycotting the show due to Chappelle’s transphobic material, but the comic’s agent refuted the claim, stating that the room was full of writers and they all pitched ideas, showing excitement about the upcoming show.
Chappelle’s presence on that specific episode garnered attention because it coincided with the debut of SNL’s first nonbinary cast member, Molly Kearney. This raised questions among fans about their feelings towards the show’s choice to have Chappelle as the host for that week.
2023
Netflix has premiered its seventh standup special featuring Chappelle, titled The Dreamer. It didn't take long for people to notice his continued use of targeted jokes about the trans community. Chappelle expressed his love for "punching down" on trans people, but also stated that he was finished with making jokes about them because he felt the community "wasn't worth the trouble."
However, the most prominent conversation surrounding the special was viewers calling out Chappelle's hypocrisy in his mocking of trans people.
Chappelle made a well-known departure from comedy after his Comedy Central series, The Chappelle Show, feeling that he was being exploited to perpetuate overt racism against Black people and likening his own behavior to "blackface." Despite receiving backlash, Chappelle showed no remorse for his mockery of trans people, despite the prevalence of anti-trans laws and commentary in the media.
Netflix continues to stand by Dave Chappelle, despite the criticism he receives for his new specials. CEO Reed Hastings has confirmed that the platform will keep working with Chappelle as long as he is willing. For more Netflix updates, check out our coverage below.
Possible Rewritten
The following are upcoming or potential seasons for various TV shows: The Night Agent Season 2, The Gentlemen, Firefly Lane Season 3, Beef Season 2, Monster Season 2, Ginny and Georgia Season 3, Stranger Things Season 5, The Witcher Season 3, FUBAR Season 2, Florida Man Season 2, Obsession Season 2, and The Sandman Season 2.
Editor's P/S
As a long-time fan of Dave Chappelle, I am deeply disappointed and disheartened by his recent string of controversies, particularly his offensive jokes targeting the transgender community. His comments are not only insensitive and hurtful, but they also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to the discrimination and marginalization that trans people already face in society. It is deeply concerning that someone with such a large platform and influence would use their voice to spread misinformation and promote bigotry.
While I understand that comedy often involves pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms, there is a line that should not be crossed when it comes to making light of the struggles and identities of marginalized groups. Chappelle's jokes are not only in poor taste, but they also have real-world consequences, as they contribute to the normalization of transphobia and make it harder for trans people to be accepted and respected in society.
