Nearly three weeks after all the controversy around Dave Chappelle's The Closer special began, the comedian finally released a video response on Instagram addressing all the backlash he's received. In the video, Chappelle appears to be near the end of one of his stand-up shows when he begins to speak directly about the events that have transpired at Netflix. "It's been said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix and I refused," he said. "That is not true — if they had invited me, I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about. I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. It seems like I'm the only one that can't go to the office anymore."
In addition to this statement, Chappelle also shared that "not a film company, not a movie studio, not a film festival" will touch his upcoming documentary recapping his summer 2020 comedy tour. To which some people on social media began speculating this as the reason he's finally chosen to speak up. Toward the end of the video, Chappelle then said he's ready to sit down and speak with members of the transgender community, but not before rattling off a few demands. "To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me," he continued. "I am not bending to anybody's demands. And if you want to meet with me, I'd be more than willing to, but I have some conditions. First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing, and thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny."
He then closed out his video saying that the people who wished to see his documentary that "nobody will touch" can do so at theaters in 10 American cities. He wrapped by saying that only after watching the film can people answer his question, "Am I canceled or not?"
