When the news broke that a handful of trans employees (aided and abetted by a transfixed media) would be protesting Netflix over Dave Chappelle’s latest special, “The Closer,” it was noteworthy how many of his colleagues stayed silent. In 2019, A-list stand-up names like Jim Gaffigan and Bill Burr defended Chappelle against similar claims that he’s transphobic, with Gaffigan, in particular, calling his colleague “brilliant.”
This time out, however, few comics have been willing to voice support for the man many feel is the most talented comedian of his generation. Their silence has not gone unnoticed. Conor Friedersdorf, staff writer at The Atlantic spoke for many when he tweeted, “Just 5 years ago I would’ve expected the online debate about the Chappelle special to include many comedians out there who are opinionated about their craft. Has anyone else noticed how many of those voices are missing, now that the costs of conversation have increased?”
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