Dave Chappelle has responded to backlash over his Netflix special The Closer.
The stand-up comedian came under fire for comments made about the LGBT+ community in the hour-long special, including “gender is a fact”.
The 48-year-old took to Instagram on Monday to address the controversy, after Netflix employees walked out in protest over the streaming giant’s decision to air the show last week.
In a clip from a gig of his, Dave said: “It’s been said in the press that I was invited to speak to transgender employees at Netflix and I refused. That is not true.”
“If they had invited me I would have accepted it. Although I am confused about what we are speaking about… You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. Well it seems like I’m the only one that can’t go to the office anymore.”
He said: “Today, not a film company, not a movie studio, not a film festival, nobody will touch this film. Thank god for Ted Sarandos and Netflix – he is the only one that didn’t cancel me yet.”
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, defended Dave’s controversial stand-up special in a memo addressed to staff members, but he then acknowledged he “screwed up” in how he handled the controversy among his staff.
