Side note, I think Anthony Jeselnik is one of the sharpest and smartest comics I've ever heard. His delivery is calculated and he keeps you on your toes.
But yeah, I haven't seen this special either and if DC is literally on an anti-trans kick in the same way JK Rowling is (is it really that bad?) then it's more than a passing joke and turns into hate speech.
Yes, it's that bad.
But with Chappelle
platforming a position of gender essentialism onstage, and
declaring that he’s “team TERF” — thereby aligning himself with trans-exclusionary radical feminists who
argue that trans women aren’t women — many Netflix viewers and employees disagree. Netflix’s approach to the whole situation has triggered employee resignations, backlash, and now, a
planned walkout of the company’s trans employee resource group.
Chappelle’s latest Netflix special, The Closer, may be a tipping point for trans people.
www.vox.com
As I said earlier, in whatever creative endeavor you decide on, early on you make a decision. Is that creative effort for YOU, or for commercial profit. When you're a nobody, the choice to choose you is easy, but at the same time you want money & to be noticed so may consider what others thing. The enviable position that Dave Chappelle has been in for so long is that what is for HIM, also works commercially for him. Eventually though that will butt up against the views of others. Some of the same people that championed his earlier Netflix specials, previously thought of him as a racist from his Comedy Central series. They now embrace him & say "oh he makes fun of everyone grow a thick skin". Like I said earlier also, when you're the target of such humor, it isn't so funny.
When the target is a community already marginalized, it isn't funny, it's mean, it's punching down. All because one imagines there won't be any real blowback. Only this time, that isn't the case.
Some comedians whine about "cancel culture", long before that in comics we had "comicsgate", a spinoff of "gamersgate". Basically a group of White ( to be fair it wasn't exclusively White, but there are so few PoC no one gives a shit about their shit ) males who get butt hurt about women having a say in an industry that is resistant to diversity and hates being asked to let others play in the same sandbox. When those artists & writers got outed, they got bounced. Why? If you ask them, any number of valiant long suffering reasons that make them the poor victims for saying what others find distasteful. The truth, very large corporations like making money from anyone who will give it to them. Having known assholes who use their platform & popularity to espouse views demeaning a portion of the customer base, is not conducive to "making money from anyone who will give it to them". It isn't just the affected communities that turn on the company, but those who empathize & sympathize. Also no one like the taint of "guilt by association".
What's good for Chappelle, isn't necessarily good for Netflix as of late. But that's NOT a position that Dave has EVER had to work from. That's been a wonderful rarified privilege few will ever experience. Either you accept & like his humor, or be on your way. Unfortunately Dave is so big, that if others go "be on their way", that's something Netflix does NOT want. Especially if it attracts a particular toxic crowd, that you may find yourself associated with. Chappelle will be fine. Netflix has to worry about themselves.
If anything, all of this will just be the source for his next stand up. It's a constant circle.
The idea that a group of comedians as related, are sitting around whining about "cancel culture", is one of the best examples of entitlement seen. Yes you can say what you want in your routines, but remember you are selling yourself & your routine. If people don't want to buy you & your routine because of what you say about a group or topic, that's on you. No one has to buy your shit. YOU WANT them to buy YOUR shit, they are not obligated to take you & your shit the way YOU want. That's the risk of any creative endeavor, no one HAS to like or want your product.
Sure such a thing can be chilling, but it was happening long before "cancel culture" got coined. It was just referred to by those who whine about "cancel culture" now, as the right of a consumer to express their views with their wallets.
It still is.