High School Theater Won't Be Named for Dave Chappelle
by EG
Dave Chappelle is defiant in the face of criticism of his anti-trans comments, but he is backing off a plan to put his name on a theater at his old high school because of backlash. Students at the school made it clear that they don't want Chappelle's name on their theater. Chappelle agreed to take his name off the theater but insisted that his anti-trans material is a matter of artistic speech and that it's "urgent" that he use it. Read on for details.
Dave Chappelle has decided against having his name attached to a new performing arts theater at his old high school, following student backlash to his controversial Netflix comedy special, The Closer.
The Washington Post reported that Chappelle made the announcement at the theater dedication ceremony Monday night at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, in Washington D.C. The event had been delayed since November after students at the school criticized the comedian for The Closer, which featured a number of jokes that have been widely criticized as transphobic.
At the dedication ceremony, Chappelle directly broached the rift between him and the student body, making it clear he was “hurt” by the backlash. According to HuffPo editor Philip Lewis, Chappelle said, “No matter what they say about The Closer, it is still [one of the] most-watched specials on Netflix,” adding that it was a “masterpiece.” Lewis wrote that Chappelle described himself as “maybe a once in a lifetime talent.” Speaking to the student backlash, Chappelle said “these kids didn’t understand that they were instruments of artistic oppression.”
He added, “The more you say I can’t say something, the more urgent it is for me to say it.”
Instead of featuring his name, Chappelle said the venue will be called the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression.
After the initial Duke Ellington backlash in November, Chappelle returned to the school to discuss the controversy around his special with nearly 600 students. Politico reported at the time that the comedian was met by a frosty reception, was accused of endangering trans lives and told that he was handling the storm of criticism like a “child.”
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.