Dave Chappelle to headline Netflix comedy fest after row over jokes about trans people

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Netflix

Dave Chappelle is to headline a Netflix comedy festival next year – despite controversy over jokes about trans people he made in his Netflix special this year.

The 11-day Netflix Is a Joke Festival will feature 130 comedy names across 25 LA venues from 28 April to 8 May.

Chapelle’s show is called Dave Chappelle and Friends and will take place at the Hollywood Bowl. Other stars taking part in the festival include Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, Sandra Bernhard, Seth Rogen and Wanda Sykes.

“Much-needed laughs”

In a statement celebrating the announcement, Robbie Praw, Director of Stand-up and Comedy Formats at Netflix made no reference to the Chapelle controversy.

“It’s absolutely thrilling for Netflix to be hosting a comedy festival of this magnitude in Los Angeles,” Praw said. “We were so disappointed to postpone the event last spring and our line-up of comedians can’t wait to bring much needed laughs to audiences in LA and around the world on Netflix.

“Netflix Is A Joke Festival is going to give comedy fans the opportunity to see the greats and discover new voices in one of the greatest cities in the world.”

In Chappelle’s The Closer, released on 5 October, the star said: “I’m team TERF [trans-exclusionary radical feminist].”

He added: “Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. This is a fact.”

This led to global criticism, and a walkout at Netflix by employees who are trans and their allies. At least 1,000 employees took part in the protest on 20 October.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos issued company-wide memos about the row, which he later said “lacked humanity”, adding: “I screwed up.”

In a video later uploaded to Instagram, Chappelle said: “To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience. But you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody’s demands.”