Cancel Culture nearly took down someone considered a comedy GOAT ... Dave Chappelle.
Now, the Ohio resident is targeting the community that had his back through one of the worst woke backlashes in recent memory.
Conservatives.
Chappelle's 2021 special, "The Closer," caused a kerfuffle when it bowed on Netflix. The stand-up routine was pure Chappelle - raw, incendiary, and funny. He capped the hour with a heartfelt tribute to a trans comedian friend who had passed away. That part of the special was overlooked.
What did catch everyone's attention? Previous jokes poking fun at the trans community. The backlash was outsized, complete with media attacks on Chappelle and Netflix worker revolts. Protesters picketed the streaming company, while everyone else wondered if one of comedy's biggest names would be officially canceled.
Think Roseanne Barr-level cancelation. This was back when Cancel Culture reigned supreme. No one was safe, not Stephen King, Scarlett Johansson, or, potentially, Chappelle. And if Chappelle could get canceled, what message did that send to less-famous comedians?
Watch what you say, or else.
Netflix brass held its collective tongue for a spell, but finally released a document outlining company policy. Call it the 'Go Pound Sand" memorandum.
“If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”
And, gratefully, Chappelle survived, even though he later suffered an on-stage assault that was likely tied to his Netflix special.
Still, conservatives had his back the whole time, while Legacy Media outlets and the Left (but we repeat ourselves) all but called for his cancellation.
Now, Chappelle is looking back at that cultural moment and blasting ... Republicans. He didn't attack progressives for nearly sinking his career during a new NPR conversation. Instead, he mocked the GOP for "weaponizing" his trans material.
I did resent that the Republican Party ran on transgender jokes. You know, I felt like they were doing a weaponized version of what I was doing. That’s not what I was doing ... I was on Capitol Hill, and everybody ran up to take pictures with me from every congressional office. And I just take pictures with whoever asked. I didn’t ask how they vote or what their voting record is ...Then here comes Lauren Boebert and she said, ‘Can I get a picture?’ And I had already taken 40 pictures. I didn’t want to say no in front of everybody, but I didn’t know the phrase ‘I respectfully decline.’ So I just took the picture. And then she posted the picture before I could even get from there to the show and says something to the effect of, ‘Just two people that know that it’s just two genders.
That singular moment could be frustrating. His jokes weren't meant to make a political statement but show his observational chops. The complaint also ignores a larger issue.
The Left tried to cancel Chappelle and limit what he and his comedy peers could say on a stage. Cancel Culture was primarily fueled by progressives. The Right, by and large, stood up for his free speech rights.
And this is how he repays them?
"Thank you" would have sufficed.
