1 month ago
After facing years of backlash for his ongoing jokes astatine nan disbursal of transgender people, Dave Chappelle is attempting to abstracted himself from anti-trans politicians.
The 5x Emmy-winning comedian precocious claimed that he’s been nan unfortunate of “rage baiting” headlines astir his trans jokes successful respective of his standup specials, explaining they aren’t meant arsenic “malicious aliases moreover harmful.”
“I did resent that nan Republican Party ran connected transgender jokes,” he explained connected NPR’s Newsmakers podcast. “You know, I felt for illustration they were doing a weaponized type of what I was doing. That’s not what I was doing.”
Chappelle utilized Rep. Lauren Boebert’s 2023 station arsenic an example, aft she posted a photograph pinch nan comedian and different Republican, writing, “Just 3 group who understand that there’s only 2 genders.”
“I didn’t want to opportunity nary successful beforehand of everybody, but I didn’t cognize nan building ‘I respectfully decline,'” said Chappelle. “So I conscionable took nan picture. And past she posted nan image earlier I could moreover get from location to nan show … Just instantly, weaponized aliases politicized. So I sewage to nan arena, and I lit her ass up for doing that. And she should ne'er do that to a personification for illustration me.”
Previously facing backlash for his trans jokes successful his Netflix standup specials for illustration Sticks & Stones (2019), The Closer (2021) and The Dreamer (2023), Chappelle claimed that his jokes aren’t intended to harm nan trans community.
“I don’t consciousness for illustration thing I do is malicious aliases moreover harmful,” added Chappelle. “And I deliberation if I did wounded personification pinch my work, boy, they would person been laid that astatine my feet. I’m conscionable not doing that.”
