Comedian Dave Chappelle has declined to have a performing arts theater at his former high school bear his name following woke student backlash over his Netflix comedy special, The Closer.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., had originally planned to use Chappelle’s name for its new performing arts theater in honor of its most famous alumni. Throughout the years, Chappelle has regularly visited his old stomping ground and occasionally brought celebrity guests with him to meet the students. However, upon the release of his Netflix special The Closer, in which he mocked aspects of transgender ideology and LGBTQ political correctness in general, students began protesting the school’s decision to name the theater after Chappelle.
A student painting is seen onstage during the Dave Chappelle theatre dedication ceremony at Duke Ellington School of the Arts on June 20, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
Members of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Radical Elite Show Band perform at the theatre dedication ceremony at Duke Ellington School of the Arts on June 20, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
During the dedication ceremony on Monday night, Chappelle announced that the theater’s name will instead be called the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression. According to HuffPo editor Philip Lewis, Chappelle addressed the controversy and admitted to feeling “hurt” by the student backlash.
“No matter what they say about The Closer, it is still [one of the] most-watched specials on Netflix,” Dave Chappelle reportedly said, hailing it a “masterpiece.”
Watch below:
“They cancelled @jk_rowling, they started calling her a TERF. I didn’t even know what that was, but I know that trans people make up words to win arguments… I’m team TERF.”
— Dave Chappelle#SexNotGender pic.twitter.com/VSxzrohZWM
— Women’s Voices (@WomenReadWomen) October 7, 2021
***LANGUAGE WARNING***
“These kids didn’t understand that they were instruments of artistic oppression,” Chappelle reportedly said. “The more you say I can’t say something, the more urgent it is for me to say it.”
Chappelle, who is an alum of the school, said hearing the backlash from students about his special The Closer “sincerely hurt me.”
“If you have more talent than me, display it. That is what our genre is about …”
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 21, 2022
Referencing this incident, Chappelle said “these kids didn’t understand that they were instruments of artistic oppression.”
“… The more you say I can’t say something, the more urgent it is for me to say it.” https://t.co/htl3gUzbol
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) June 21, 2022
In the heat of the controversy, Chappelle held a Q&A with 600 students and was met with fierce criticism as they accused him of endangering transgender lives and handling criticism like a “child.” Though the school delayed the dedication ceremony, it did not back down from its decision to name the theater after Chappelle.
“While we appreciate Dave’s impromptu and spirited fundraising initiative, we stand behind our decision to honor the wishes of our co-founder, the late Peggy Cooper Cafritz, to name the theatre after Chappelle,” a statement from the school said at the time.. “All donations will go towards arts programming and every donor, irrespective of their support or opposition to the theater naming, will receive an official thank you from our team.”
“Chappelle cares deeply about Ellington and its students and regards them as family. He made an unannounced visit before the Thanksgiving break to meet with his Ellington family and to hear directly from the few students who have concerns about his recent comedy special, The Closer. He also wanted to directly express support for their safety in light of some disturbing online comments targeting the Ellington community,” the statement added.
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