Netflix Removes ‘Chappelle’s Show’ At Dave Chappelle’s Request
Written by laserteam on November 27, 2020
(NPR) – Comedian Dave Chappelle had a strange request for his fans. Don’t stream his show.
“I’m begging you. If you ever liked me,” he said in a video of a stand-up routine he shared on Tuesday. “Boycott Chappelle’s Show. Do not watch it unless they pay me.”
Chappelle was calling out the network Comedy Central, which first aired Chappelle’s Show from 2003 to 2006. He said in the video the company licensed the show to Netflix and HBO Max without paying him or informing him about the deal.
Chappelle said Comedy Central was able to do so because as a young man he had been snared in an unfair contract, which allows the network to continue profiting from his show and prevents Chappelle from using its name.
Chappelle famously walked out on the show in 2005 before finishing the third season, forgoing what could’ve been a $50 million deal. He had served as the series’ creator, executive producer and star. Comedy Central aired the three episodes for that season already recorded.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the company removed the show early Tuesday morning at the comedian’s request after airing it for less than a month but declined to comment further. The streaming service has a robust business relationship with the comedian, reportedly paying Chappelle up to $60 million for five stand-up specials in 2016.
“That’s why I f*** with Netflix, because they pay me my money, they do what they say they’re gonna do,” Chappelle said in the video.
