Dave Chappelle once again finds himself at the center of controversy, drawing criticism for his candid remarks about the transgender community. The comedian, known for his unapologetic and often provocative humor, seemed undeterred in his latest release.
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Chappelle recounted an encounter with Jim Carrey on the set of The Man on the Moon in 1999, using it as a metaphor for how transgender individuals make him feel. He shared how he had to address Carrey as “Andy” despite clearly being Jim. Chappelle suggested that, in a similar way, interactions with transgenders make him feel compelled to acknowledge an identity that doesn’t align with his perception.
Chappelle then shifted his focus on the disabled community. “They’re not as organized as the gays and I love punching down,” Only before returning to his thoughts on the trans community.
“To be honest with you, I’ve been trying to repair my relationship with the transgender community cause I don’t want them to think that I don’t like them,” he said. “You know how I’ve been repairing it? I wrote a play. I did. Cause I know that gays love plays. It’s a very sad play, but it’s moving. It’s about a Black transgender woman whose pronoun is, sadly, n***a. It’s a tear-jerker. At the end of the play she dies of loneliness cause white liberals don’t know how to speak to her. It’s sad.”
Meanwhile, Billboard Chris has applauded Dave Chappelle for “telling the truth” while others, including entertainment outlets like The Root, have criticized the comedian’s persistent focus on gender identity humor.
The backlash comes not only from online communities but also from within the entertainment industry, with journalist Sean L. McCarthy writing that it feels frustrating to witness comedians of Chappelle’s stature dedicating significant portions of their routines to what some perceive as bullying the LGBTQ+ community.
