Dave Chappelle earns two Emmy nominations despite transphobia controversy

Dave Chappelle’s controversial Netflix comedy special was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards this year, despite material that offended the transgender community.

“The Closer’s” nomination for best pre-recorded variety special on Tuesday is the veteran comedian’s 12th Emmy nomination. It will be competing against Adele’s One Night Only, Warner Bros. and HBO/HBO Max’s Harry Potter reunion, Norm Macdonald’s posthumous Netflix special Nothing Special, and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s One Last Time, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

The special’s director, Stan Lathan, was also nominated for outstanding directing of a variety special.

When released in October 2021, “The Closer” sparked a backlash from LGBT activists who criticized Chappelle’s jokes and remarks at the expense of the transgender community, which included some Netflix staff.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos initially defended the special in internal emails following its release saying he did not believe it “crossed the line” or directly translated “to real world harm” for the LGBT community. After the messages were leaked, Sarandos backtracked. “I should have led with a lot more humanity,” he admitted, but kept it on the platform.

B. Pagles-Minor, a leader of Netflix’s trans employee rights group, was fired for allegedly leaking confidential financial information to Bloomberg, which said that Netflix spent $24.1 million on “The Closer.”

Pagles-Minor later helped stage a walkout at the company on Oct. 20. The extent and size of the walkout was not clear because much of the company was still working remotely.

The man who ran on stage and tackled Chappelle at his Hollywood Bowl show in May after he was “triggered” by the comedian’s jokes about LGBT people and homelessness, citing personal struggles related to those issues.

In May, Netflix also sent a memo to employees warning those who wish to censor “offensive” content that they may want to find employment elsewhere.

“If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you,” said the memo, adding that employees may be required to work on projects that “perceive to be harmful.”