A Minneapolis theater canceled a sold-out show featuring comedian Dave Chappelle at the last minute, due to complaints of protesters who threatened violence if the entertainer was allowed to go on stage.
The scheduled venue, First Avenue Theater, canceled just a few hours before Chappelle, 48, was due to arrive, in order to appease the activist group MnUprising, who complained that the comedian ‘harmed’ them with his ‘transphobic views.’
The 1,500 ticket show was sold-out and had to be moved to another nearby location, the Varsity Theater. Two more shows will be held there. The First Avenue Theatre apologized for “failing to be a safe space” after the 125-signature complaint, launched via a Change.org petition, over what were considered transphobic jokes, forced their hand.
“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry,” the First Avenue Theater staff said in a statement, announcing that the show had been canceled.
The theater had sold 1,500 tickets at $129.50 each – a total of almost $200,000 in lost revenue.
Chappelle has had problems before. Complaints flooded in about his Netflix stand-up show last October, causing boycotts. Chappelle’s Netflix special, “The Closer,” included jokes about trans people and the LGBTQ community. Chappelle joked about trans women’s genitalia and said, “gender is a fact.”
Chappelle says he offered to meet with critics and Netflix staff who had complained about the show.
“It’s been said in the press that I was invited to speak with transgender employees at Netflix and I refused.”
“That is not true. If they had invited me I would’ve accepted, although I am confused about what we’re speaking about,” he said.
Chappelle hits back about the criticism, and says he is a “team TERF.” TERF refers to ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminist,’ meaning a cisgender woman who does not support trans women.
The First Avenue Theater protesters’ petition said, “Dave Chappelle has a record of being dangerous to trans people, and First Avenue has a duty to protect the community.“
“Chappelle’s actions uphold a violent heteronormative culture and directly violate First Avenue’s code of conduct.”
“If staff and guests are held to this standard, performers should be too.”
