Dave Chappelle's controversial Netflix special wins a Grammy


Grammy voters are standing by Dave Chappelle.
Chappelle won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album on Sunday for his controversial Netflix special The Closer, which sparked backlash over its jokes about transgender people.
Released in 2021, The Closer featured Chappelle saying that "gender is a fact" and joking that he is "team TERF," meaning trans-exclusionary radical feminist, while defending J.K. Rowling, who has been criticized for anti-trans tweets. The special was accused of being transphobic at the time, sparking backlash and an employee walkout at Netflix. "Dave Chappelle's brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities," GLAAD said. Chappelle also defended DaBaby in the special after the rapper made homophobic comments.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But Netflix's CEO defended Chappelle, and the streamer later released a speech he delivered where he blasts his student critics as "instruments of oppression."
This marked Chappelle's fourth Grammy win for Best Comedy Album. It was also the second consecutive year that the Grammys awarded Best Comedy Album to a controversial comedian. In 2022, the winner was Louis C.K., who admitted to allegations of sexual misconduct in 2017. C.K. was nominated again in 2023.
"We won't restrict the people who can submit their material for consideration," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told The Wrap in 2021 after criticism over the nominations for C.K. and disgraced musician Marilyn Manson. "We won't look back at people's history, we won't look at their criminal record, we won't look at anything other than the legality within our rules of, is this recording for this work eligible based on date and other criteria. If it is, they can submit for consideration."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
Keith McNally' 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play