Netflix and Chappelle will laugh off backlash of ‘cancel culture’

In one of the most interesting cases of “cancel culture” to date, stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle is fighting back. He is refusing to be silenced by fierce critics who have labeled him transphobic and want his Netflix special yanked.

Netflix has made the unusual decision of refusing to cave to pressure and sticking with Chappelle. And Chappelle himself is clapping back at his detractors by doubling down on his litany of jokes focused upon gender identity.

It’s a move you don’t often see, because usually the victims of cancel culture are swept away before they can even mount a defense.

Chappelle’s new Netflix special, “The Closer,” is peppered with jokes about the transgender and gay communities, which some trans viewers claim have morphed into outright hate. His critics assert that Chapelle’s discourse could cause lasting damage to a community that is already dangerously maligned, and they want his show canceled.

However, Netflix is standing by Chappelle. Maybe it’s because Chappelle is a profitable investment for them. Or perhaps Netflix does not want to be bullied by an online mob that has quickly escalated its reaction from disapproval to outrage. Whatever the case, it is a notable development since this is one of the rare occasions where the target of cancel culture refuses to be cowed.

Comedians are in a different situation than most other celebrities when it comes to provoking anger and cancel culture attempts. That may be because the art itself relies heavily on being controversial. After all, controversy has been the bread and butter of comedy for decades.

Comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested on obscenity charges in the 1960s for using foul language. George Carlin was arrested for performing “7 Words You Can Never Say on Television” in the 1970s. Richard Pryor became a maestro of the “n-word” in the 1970s and 1980s, and Andrew Dice Clay was banned from MTV for misogynic comments in the late 1980s. Whatever you may think of his material, Chappelle is demonstrating courage by defending his right to creative license, and not allowing himself to be overrun by people who are offended by the content matter.

In the long-run, his actions in the wake of the controversy are likely to add street credibility to him as an edgy comic and free thinker unafraid to ruffle feathers. Some have said that he is giving comedians permission to be just that: comedians. Ultimately, I believe this controversy will make a lot of people who have never heard of Chappelle, or who weren’t thinking of watching his special, tune in to see what the fuss is about.

While I am not one to believe all press is good press, in this case, the negative publicity and controversy surrounding Chappelle’s special may turn out to be good for his career.

Comedians are known to test limits of what can be considered outrageous or offensive, and I believe Chappelle will likely weather this pushback. Why? Because the outrage is centered squarely upon Chappelle’s comments themselves, and the content of his jokes. Absent are accusations of illegal or immoral behavior by him.

And that’s a big distinction from other high-profile individuals who have tried to come back after scandals in their personal lives. Consider the speed with which a photo of comedian Al Franken pretending to grope a sleeping woman derailed his political career. Within days of the controversy, the Minnesota senator was decried by his colleagues and rapidly resigned from office.

The fact that people are trying to cancel Chappelle based solely on his comedic bit and not actions in his personal life lessens the ferocity of the attack and limits the likelihood that this will destroy his career or irreparably damage his brand.

Expect Chappelle to keep moving forward unrepentantly. After all, in response to the uproar, Chappelle himself said, “If this is what being canceled is like, I love it.”

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