Dave Chappelle has called out the Republican party for politicizing transgender jokes.
“I did resent that the Republican Party ran on transgender jokes. You know, I felt like they were doing a weaponized version of what I was doing. That’s not what I was doing,” Chappelle told NPR’s Newsmakers program in an interview with host Michel Martin.
He recalled a run-in with Republican Lauren Boebert and others on Capital Hill and being cornered for a photograph. “And I just take pictures with whoever asked. I didn’t ask how they vote or what their voting record is,” Chappelle recounted.
“Then here comes Lauren Boebert and she said, ‘Can I get a picture?’ And I had already taken 40 pictures. I didn’t want to say no in front of everybody, but I didn’t know the phrase ‘I respectfully decline,’ he added. So Chappelle allowed the photograph.
“And then she posted the picture before I could even get from there to the show and says something to the effect of, ‘Just two people that know that it’s just two genders,’ Chappelle continued. “Just instantly, like, weaponized or politicized. So I got to the arena, and I lit her ass up for doing that. And she should never do that to a person like me,” Chappelle told NPR.
The superstar comedian’s Netflix standup comedy specials The Closer (2021) and The Dreamer (2023) included transgender jokes around themes of cancel culture leading to backlash from members of the LGBTQ community and GLAAD, among others.
That criticism of harmful and offensive content for the transgender community at one point resulted in Netflix employees and allies holding company walkouts and protests outside the streamer’s Hollywood offices.
Watch Chappelle’s full interview below.
