OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
Dave Chappelle’s show was recently canceled by a theater in Minneapolis over left-wing protests.
The show, which was sold out within minutes, was canceled at the First Avenue concert venue due to the protests. Instead, it was moved to a smaller stage a few miles away at Varsity Theater.
Liberals are furious with Chappelle because he makes allegedly controversial statements during his show, such as commenting that “gender is a fact.” He also likens himself Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling regarding a 2019 controversy when she identified herself as a “TERF,” or “trans-exclusionary radical feminist.”
Chappelle says that he is supportive of “team TERF.”
Other comedians are speaking out in support of Chappelle following the canceled show.
Comedian Flame Monroe, who is transgender, said free speech should be protected.
“When I grow up, I want to be just like him, because guess what, the show must go on,” Monroe said. “I don’t want to be censored as a comedian. I say some ridiculous things on stage, that’s hilarious, that may make you think, but what it also does is teaches you that I’m a human being.”
“It’s not about race, or color or size or gender, it’s about money. You don’t want to make money,” Monroe said, adding that comedians “don’t want to spew anger and hate and bitterness. You want people to laugh.”
Jamie Masada, who owns the Laugh Factory, said, “[The] comic stage is their sanctuary. We have to protect the First Amendment. We can’t dilute it. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves.”
Masada said, “It’s important for the comedians to go out there, to express themselves.”
Comedian Natalie Cuomo said, “The venue already knew. It’s not like he released something new after they booked him. This was already on Netflix. This was already accessible to the public. And canceling a show last-minute like that is pretty unacceptable to me.”
Cuomo continued, “For some people, it would frighten them because it seems like there’s a drawback on our ability to practice free speech and our opinion.”
“Just because someone has one opinion that you don’t agree with doesn’t mean that you can’t support them in any way. I think that’s really, really frightening that our country is so polarized that way.”
Cuomo said, “It empowers me more to say what I believe, because it makes me want to go further with how I feel. I don’t think it’s okay to limit what people say. I think there needs to always be a space for whatever your beliefs are. Nobody should be censored.”
“I don’t think Dave Chappelle was ever encouraging violence in any capacity, and for anyone to say that is a gross exaggeration.”
More on this story via Fox News:
Chappelle has been at the center of controversy over his sixth special with Netflix, “The Closer,” which was released in October and has since caused waves of heated debates.
“I don’t feel like it’s right that people can tell other people what they can and cannot say,” Dani Zoldan, owner of Stand Up New York, told Fox News Digital. “If people don’t want to support him… if people are offended by some of his transgender jokes, they don’t have to support him. They don’t have to watch the Netflix special. They don’t have to buy tickets to their show.
“But to, you know, force management — who booked him in the first place — and put pressure on them to cancel is really unfortunate. Comedians make jokes about everyone.”
