Comedian Dave Chappelle is one of the best in the business. However, he was quite famously embroiled in a controversy. This was in regard to some things he said on his show that were deemed homophobic and insensitive by many people. After Chappelle made those statements on the show, he faced backlash and criticism. Many Netflix employees too protested his involvement with their company. Some staged a walkout.
Chappelle, however, stood his ground. Many came to his support including Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Now Sarandos has again defended Chappelle and praised him in a recent interview. We take a closer look at his comments in this article.
Related: Why Dave Chappelle Was Attacked on Stage in Los Angeles
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos Defends Dave Chappelle
The Co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos recently gave a wide-ranging interview to the New York Times. On the question of the Dave Chappelle controversy, he said: “And rarely do you get the opportunity to put your principles to the test,” “It was an opportunity to take somebody, like in Dave’s case, who is, by all measure, the comedian of our generation, the most popular comedian on Netflix for sure. Nobody would say that what he does isn’t thoughtful or smart. You just don’t agree with him.”
Related: After Netflix, Disney+ Unveils New Ad-Tier Option: Is This The Beginning of the End?
On the issue of free speech and controversies, the Co-CEO said: “We’re programming for a lot of diverse people who have different opinions and different tastes and different styles, and yet we’re not making everything for everybody,” he said. “We want something for everybody but everything’s not going to be for everybody.” Going as far as saying “I think it’s very important to the American culture generally to have free expression.”
Related: ‘Is That Will Smith’: Chris Rock Mocks Will Smith After Dave Chappelle Gets Attacked On Stage
The Chappelle – Netflix special Controversy
The acclaimed comedian came under fire for some things he said in the Netflix Special, The Closer. He made some remarks about the LGBTQ community which did not go well with many. Many called for it to be taken down, however, it was not. It remains a popular offering on the streaming service.
Related: “I’m Not Going to Lie”: Will Smith Oscars Slap Inspired Dave Chappelle Attacker
