Effectively-documented transphobic comic Dave Chappelle’s again, child.
Or… did he ever actually go away? The controversial comic is set to host Saturday Night Live for this weekend’s post-U.S. midterm election episode, as he did following the U.S. elections in 2016 and 2020. However this look comes only a yr after Chappelle was supposedly “canceled” for his blatantly transphobic feedback in a Netflix particular final yr.
Let’s actually stress the supposedly there.
A recap: final fall, Chappelle dropped his particular The Nearer on Netflix, the place he claimed to be “completed” with queer and trans jokes, however ended up filling the special’s run-time with a slew of vile transphobic jokes and declaring himself to be “group TERF.” This got here along with a number of previous specials during which Chappelle dished out some informal transphobia, however The Nearer actually noticed the award-winning comic double-down on some “yikes” stances round queer oppression, trans girls’s our bodies and a slew of different matters.
The particular kicked off a wave of back-and-forths between followers and Netflix, with employees at the streaming service walking out in protest of its continued defence of the comic and its dedication to internet hosting his specials. A number of employees concerned in organizing the walkouts were fired and suspended, together with Terra Discipline—who Tweeted her response to the information of Chappelle’s internet hosting this week.
In the meantime, Chappelle—who’s been praised for his “edgy” comedy all through his profession—appeared to relish his so-called “cancellation.” Not lengthy after the particular dropped, the comic carried out at a sold out event and obtained a standing ovation, saying, “If that is what being canceled is like, I like it.” His Netflix deal stays intact, he headlined the Netflix Is A Joke competition within the spring and—except for a number of cancellations of native reveals—actually didn’t appear to face any profession repercussions for, , spreading grossly fallacious details about trans womens’ our bodies and defending the queen TERF herself, JK Rowling.
Whereas I hesitate to lean to far into the “cancel tradition” dialog of all of it (frankly, the brand new Cate Blanchett movie Tár has been the one attention-grabbing dialogue of the time period I’ve seen currently), it’s wild that Chappelle has gone from supposed cancel tradition pariah to headlining one of many greatest gigs in popular culture. It’s nearly just like the cancel tradition that right-wing pundits are at all times decrying isn’t actual and shitty dudes can hold getting away with doing shitty dude issues!
SNL is, in fact, its personal beast. Regardless of supposed illustration victories with the casting of individuals like Bowen Yang or this season’s first brazenly non-binary solid member Molly Kearney, the present is hardly recognized for having a progressive bent.
Chappelle is way from the primary controversial host for this system, and as soon as once more I can’t assist however consider the queer and trans workers and solid members at SNL, whose boss has basically mentioned “Effectively, he’s not transphobic sufficient for us to not invite him.” The present’s gone via this kind of interior turmoil earlier than with beforehand controversial hosts like new Twitter overlord/punching bag Elon Musk or former President Donald Trump.
Chappelle’s internet hosting gig comes on the heels of a decisively bitter midterm election which has had the well being, security and human rights of trans youngsters on the forefront of debates. Regardless of the election consequence, odds are Chappelle’s going to have one thing to say about it.
Like Louis CK and a bunch of different shitty dude comedians who supposedly acquired “cancelled,” Chappelle’s helming of SNL simply reveals us that calling somebody out for his or her transphobia isn’t going to wreck their profession. Actually, the keenness with which the announcement has been met by Chappelle’s newly gained right-wing followers over the previous yr reveals that if something, his platform has grown.
In the meantime queer and trans of us are going to maintain preventing for our primary rights, and shitty dudes like Chappelle get to go make jokes about it on one in all TV’s greatest phases. Cis and straight comedians like Chappelle are going to start out begging for this sort of cancellation.
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