Dave Chappelle Drops Instagram Video to Defend Himself Amid Controversy Over 'The Closer'

Photo Credit: @davechappelle Instagram

Dave Chappelle dropped a five-minute clip on Instagram to defend himself from the controversy surrounding his latest Netflix release "The Closer" on Monday, which critics have called transphobic and attempted to have removed from the streaming platform.

In the video he denies being invited to speak to transgender employees at Netflix, hundreds of which staged a walkout because of the special, and refusing to do so saying, “If they had invited me, I would have accepted. Although I am confused about what we would be speaking about. I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. It seems like I’m the only one who can’t go to the office anymore.”

Chapelle went on to say, “I’m more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody’s demands.”

He noted that the meeting would not come without conditions, however, adding that he had three: anyone participating had to watch "The Closer" in its entirety, he would choose the time and place, and “you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny.”

Gadsby, an Australian comedian who also works with Netflix, likely drew Chapelle's ire when she criticized Netflix for defending Chappelle and the content of his special earlier in the month.

He went on to say that his "cancellation" was affecting a project close to his heart, insisting that his documentary "Untitled" was being dropped from film festivals, though he did not list which ones.

To circumvent this and get the project, produced and directed by Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar and which claims to provide a" glimpse into the challenges facing a rural village in Ohio during the early days of the pandemic," to the masses Chapelle said he is taking the film on a 10-city screening tour.

“You will be able to see this movie in its entirety, and you can see what they’re trying to obstruct you from seeing,” Chappelle said of the film. “And you can judge for yourself, but you cannot have this conversation and exclude my voice from it. That is only fair.”

Watch the entire video below:

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