Dave Chappelle has been nominated for an Emmy for his Netflix special, The Closer.
The comedy special was adored by some and criticised by others who deemed it to contain transphobic material. Netflix staff even organised a mass walkout because they were unhappy with the content. According to a report in Bloomberg, Netflix staff first raised flags about The Closer in the run-up to its release before it had even aired.
They reportedly said: “That a series of jokes about gender-neutral pronouns and the genitalia of transgender people was potentially inflammatory and damaging.”
In response, Netflix CEO, Ted Sarandos wrote: “We have a strong belief that content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm.” He also cited ‘data’ showing that “violence on screens has grown hugely over the last thirty years, especially with first-party shooter games, and yet violent crime has fallen significantly in many countries.”
The comic is nominated in the ‘Oustanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)’ category. His competitors are Adele: One Night Only, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts, Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special, and One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga.
Meanwhile, earlier this year it was confirmed Chappelle had penned a deal with Netflix to release four more specials for the streaming platform, and he was also attacked on-stage during the Netflix Is A Joke festival.
