The current Best Variety Special Directing Emmy lineup features an abundance of heavy hitters, including reigning champ Hamish Hamilton, who finally triumphed on his seventh bid in this category for helming the “Super Bowl Lvii Halftime Show.” Having shared that victory with Jay-Z, he is now generally expected to achieve a solo win for his work on the 2024 Oscars ceremony.
Hamilton’s most imposing challengers are Stan Lathan (“Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer”) and Glenn Weiss (“76th Tony Awards”), each of whom has already beaten him at least once. Also in the mix are the directors of “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic,” “Tig Notaro: Hello Again,” and “Trevor Noah: Where Was I,” all of whom are new to the category.
In order to determine just how likely Hamilton’s potential follow-up win is, let’s take a closer look at each nominee. Be sure to make your predictions in this...
Hamilton’s most imposing challengers are Stan Lathan (“Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer”) and Glenn Weiss (“76th Tony Awards”), each of whom has already beaten him at least once. Also in the mix are the directors of “Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic,” “Tig Notaro: Hello Again,” and “Trevor Noah: Where Was I,” all of whom are new to the category.
In order to determine just how likely Hamilton’s potential follow-up win is, let’s take a closer look at each nominee. Be sure to make your predictions in this...
- 8/9/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The funniest thing to come out of Joe Rogan’s new Netflix special is the social media mocking it, but don’t kid yourself: CEO Ted Sarandos benefits from that, too.
Rogan, a 56-year-old podcaster, has been called a lot of things since “Burn the Boats” streamed live on August 3. According to his critics on X, he’s “unfunny,” “a bigot,” “the dumbest man on the planet,” “like if Charlie Brown grew up, did steroids, finished balding, and never went to therapy,” “a lapdog for billionaires,” “adult Caillou,” “proof that those D.A.R.E. videos about the dangers of weed might have made some valid points,” and “the Cybertruck of comedians.”
The progressive pile-on is objectively funny and, at first glance, looks like a welcome counterbalance to the millions of Rogan fans who make “The Joe Rogan Experience” the world’s biggest podcast. In the special, Rogan aggressively mocks the LGBTQ community,...
Rogan, a 56-year-old podcaster, has been called a lot of things since “Burn the Boats” streamed live on August 3. According to his critics on X, he’s “unfunny,” “a bigot,” “the dumbest man on the planet,” “like if Charlie Brown grew up, did steroids, finished balding, and never went to therapy,” “a lapdog for billionaires,” “adult Caillou,” “proof that those D.A.R.E. videos about the dangers of weed might have made some valid points,” and “the Cybertruck of comedians.”
The progressive pile-on is objectively funny and, at first glance, looks like a welcome counterbalance to the millions of Rogan fans who make “The Joe Rogan Experience” the world’s biggest podcast. In the special, Rogan aggressively mocks the LGBTQ community,...
- 8/7/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Grammys Host Trevor Noah Talks Battling “Heroes” Chappelle, Chris Rock, Wanda Sykes for Comedy Album
Trevor Noah is returning to host the Grammy Awards for a fourth time — but this is the first time he is hosting as a nominee.
Noah earned his first nomination for best comedy album at the 2020 show with Son of Patricia, losing to Dave Chappelle’s Sticks & Stones. He’s battling the comedy king again on Sunday, alongside other icons: Chris Rock (Selective Outrage) and Wanda Sykes (I’m An Entertainer). All of their specials aired on Netflix; Sarah Silverman’s Someone You Love, on HBO, round out the nominees.
“I’m nominated alongside my heroes: Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. I don’t ever take those moments for granted. I think to myself how crazy it is to even be in the same category as these people,” Noah tells The Hollywood Reporter. “When I was thinking of [doing] comedy, Dave Chappelle was already an accomplished comedian. When...
Noah earned his first nomination for best comedy album at the 2020 show with Son of Patricia, losing to Dave Chappelle’s Sticks & Stones. He’s battling the comedy king again on Sunday, alongside other icons: Chris Rock (Selective Outrage) and Wanda Sykes (I’m An Entertainer). All of their specials aired on Netflix; Sarah Silverman’s Someone You Love, on HBO, round out the nominees.
“I’m nominated alongside my heroes: Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. I don’t ever take those moments for granted. I think to myself how crazy it is to even be in the same category as these people,” Noah tells The Hollywood Reporter. “When I was thinking of [doing] comedy, Dave Chappelle was already an accomplished comedian. When...
- 1/31/2024
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dave Chappelle isn’t exactly toning it down, but his new stand-up special The Dreamer is arguably more reflective and tackles a broader array of topics than his last couple of Netflix efforts.
On Sunday, the controversial comedian returned to Netflix with The Dreamer, his first full-length stand-up special in two years.
The Dreamer plays more like a traditional comedy special than 2021’s ultra-controversial The Closer — which was criticized for being hyper-focused on the trans community and Chappelle defensively responding to his critics — yet the comedian still targets marginalized groups, such as the disabled. One lengthy bit in the new special is about paraplegic former North Carolina Republican representative Madison Cawthorn, who famously alleged he was invited to Washington sex parties. “I don’t doubt they do this shit in Washington [but] who the fuck invites a paraplegic to an orgy?” Chappelle wondered, and, at one point, declared: “I love punching down!
On Sunday, the controversial comedian returned to Netflix with The Dreamer, his first full-length stand-up special in two years.
The Dreamer plays more like a traditional comedy special than 2021’s ultra-controversial The Closer — which was criticized for being hyper-focused on the trans community and Chappelle defensively responding to his critics — yet the comedian still targets marginalized groups, such as the disabled. One lengthy bit in the new special is about paraplegic former North Carolina Republican representative Madison Cawthorn, who famously alleged he was invited to Washington sex parties. “I don’t doubt they do this shit in Washington [but] who the fuck invites a paraplegic to an orgy?” Chappelle wondered, and, at one point, declared: “I love punching down!
- 12/31/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dave Chappelle is back on Netflix with a new comedy special that drops on Dec. 31 and features Morgan Freeman.
Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer was filmed in the comic’s hometown of Washington D.C. at the historic Lincoln Theater.
“What do you dream about? Not the dreams you have in your sleep, the ones you hold in your heart,” Freeman’s voice is heard saying in the trailer. “Don’t be intimidated by the audacity of your dream — be inspired by it.”
Emmy Award-winning director Stan Lathan returns to direct The Dreamer, having directed all seven of Chappelle’s Netflix specials.
Chappelle has received five Emmy awards including three for his Netflix comedy special Sticks & Stones (2019) and Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2017), and two for hosting Saturday Night Live.
The comedian is a four-time Grammy winner for The Closer, Sticks & Stones, Equanimity & The Bird Revelation, and The Age Of Spin...
Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer was filmed in the comic’s hometown of Washington D.C. at the historic Lincoln Theater.
“What do you dream about? Not the dreams you have in your sleep, the ones you hold in your heart,” Freeman’s voice is heard saying in the trailer. “Don’t be intimidated by the audacity of your dream — be inspired by it.”
Emmy Award-winning director Stan Lathan returns to direct The Dreamer, having directed all seven of Chappelle’s Netflix specials.
Chappelle has received five Emmy awards including three for his Netflix comedy special Sticks & Stones (2019) and Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2017), and two for hosting Saturday Night Live.
The comedian is a four-time Grammy winner for The Closer, Sticks & Stones, Equanimity & The Bird Revelation, and The Age Of Spin...
- 12/24/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has released the official trailer for Dave Chappelle’s newest comedy special, “The Dreamer.”
The trailer is narrated by Morgan Freeman, who also makes an appearance alongside Chappelle.
“What do you dream about? Not the dreams you have in your sleep: the ones you hold in your heart. Don’t be intimidated by the audacity of your dream — be inspired by it,” Freeman says in the trailer. “What happens to a dream deferred? Lucky for Dave, he doesn’t know.”
“The Dreamer,” which was shot in Chappelle’s hometown of Washington, D.C., at the Lincoln Theatre, marks Chappelle’s seventh special with Netflix. Stan Lathan, who directed Chappelle’s six other specials for the streamer, returns to direct “The Dreamer.”
Chappelle became a controversial figure following his 2021 Netflix special “The Closer,” in which he made jokes about transgender people, leading to company walkouts in October of that year.
The trailer is narrated by Morgan Freeman, who also makes an appearance alongside Chappelle.
“What do you dream about? Not the dreams you have in your sleep: the ones you hold in your heart. Don’t be intimidated by the audacity of your dream — be inspired by it,” Freeman says in the trailer. “What happens to a dream deferred? Lucky for Dave, he doesn’t know.”
“The Dreamer,” which was shot in Chappelle’s hometown of Washington, D.C., at the Lincoln Theatre, marks Chappelle’s seventh special with Netflix. Stan Lathan, who directed Chappelle’s six other specials for the streamer, returns to direct “The Dreamer.”
Chappelle became a controversial figure following his 2021 Netflix special “The Closer,” in which he made jokes about transgender people, leading to company walkouts in October of that year.
- 12/24/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Five years after scoring back-to-back Emmy wins for helming the 89th and 90th Oscars, Glenn Weiss could clinch his fifth Best Variety Special Directing trophy for his work on the latest Academy Awards ceremony. Given the knowledge that Jimmy Kimmel hosted said two 2010s Oscars events as well as the one Weiss is currently nominated for, a majority of Gold Derby’s Emmy predictors expect history to simply repeat itself, and they are wise to think so.
Weiss’s most formidable challengers in this contest are producing Emmy winner Jay-Z and seven-time directing nominee Hamish Hamilton, who are recognized for conducting Rihanna’s halftime performance at the most recent Super Bowl. Also in the mix are the directors of the stand-up specials “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” and “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer” and the career retrospective “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love.”
In order to determine just how...
Weiss’s most formidable challengers in this contest are producing Emmy winner Jay-Z and seven-time directing nominee Hamish Hamilton, who are recognized for conducting Rihanna’s halftime performance at the most recent Super Bowl. Also in the mix are the directors of the stand-up specials “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” and “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer” and the career retrospective “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love.”
In order to determine just how...
- 8/4/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Outlander star Sam Heughan plays tour guide for a behind-the-scenes look at the Wilmington sets. “Welcome to our version of Selling Wilmington,” jokes Heughan as the nearly four-minute video begins. Heughan’s co-stars Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin point out key locations on the set, including where Bree met her real dad for the very first time.
Both Skelton and Rankin take the time to show off the cabin where their characters had their first love scene.
The set’s massive and Sam Heughan confirms it’s grown considerably over the years as they add more and more frontage. “Some of these buildings are only fronts. Others are indoor/outdoor,” explains Heughan, adding that one of his favorite new constructions is the Red Falcon that was built in season six.
“So in the middle of Scotland, we have this beautiful early American town and there’s more to come,” says Skelton.
Both Skelton and Rankin take the time to show off the cabin where their characters had their first love scene.
The set’s massive and Sam Heughan confirms it’s grown considerably over the years as they add more and more frontage. “Some of these buildings are only fronts. Others are indoor/outdoor,” explains Heughan, adding that one of his favorite new constructions is the Red Falcon that was built in season six.
“So in the middle of Scotland, we have this beautiful early American town and there’s more to come,” says Skelton.
- 2/8/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Dave Chappelle won best comedy album at the 2023 Grammys for his most recent special The Closer, which received backlash over material focused on the transgender community.
The comedian took the honor Sunday over Louis C.K. (Sorry), Jim Gaffigan (Comedy Monster), Randy Rainbow (A Little Brains, A Little Talent) and Patton Oswalt (We All Scream). The award serves as Chappelle’s fourth Grammy and follows C.K.’s controversial win last year for Sincerely Louis Ck, his first comedy album since his sexual misconduct revelations.
Chappelle was not in attendance during the Grammys Premiere Ceremony, where the comedy album prize and many of the other Grammy awards this year were presented, so presenter Babyface accepted the award on his behalf.
After Chappelle and C.K. were nominated for the 2023 Grammys, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. told The Hollywood Reporter in part, “We don’t control who the voters vote for.
The comedian took the honor Sunday over Louis C.K. (Sorry), Jim Gaffigan (Comedy Monster), Randy Rainbow (A Little Brains, A Little Talent) and Patton Oswalt (We All Scream). The award serves as Chappelle’s fourth Grammy and follows C.K.’s controversial win last year for Sincerely Louis Ck, his first comedy album since his sexual misconduct revelations.
Chappelle was not in attendance during the Grammys Premiere Ceremony, where the comedy album prize and many of the other Grammy awards this year were presented, so presenter Babyface accepted the award on his behalf.
After Chappelle and C.K. were nominated for the 2023 Grammys, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. told The Hollywood Reporter in part, “We don’t control who the voters vote for.
- 2/5/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Welcome to another droughtlander. Here we are again, when all of us die-hard fans of the best show on TV wait through a seemingly interminable hiatus between seasons. But never fear, dear “Outlander” fans! Gold Derby is here to help satiate your desire for more content. Throughout the lead-up to Season 7, we will be featuring fun video chats with our favorite “Outlander” super-fans, in which we will discuss the highs and lows of the just-finished sixth season, and also our favorite “Outlander” moments from years gone by.
This week, I chat with journalist/writer and fellow “Outlander” lover Reshma Gopaldas, VP Video for She Media (Twitter: @reshingbull) whose writing is featured on SheKnows and StyleCaster including her weekly show recaps (like this one for the Season 6 finale) and her latest interview with Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. Reshma share her insights on what the show means to her, some...
This week, I chat with journalist/writer and fellow “Outlander” lover Reshma Gopaldas, VP Video for She Media (Twitter: @reshingbull) whose writing is featured on SheKnows and StyleCaster including her weekly show recaps (like this one for the Season 6 finale) and her latest interview with Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. Reshma share her insights on what the show means to her, some...
- 6/2/2022
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD has responded to Ricky Gervais’ newest Netflix special, which has drawn criticism due to jokes mocking trans people.
In a statement, GLAAD called the special “dangerous,” saying that it consists of “anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes.”
“We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘comedy’ special on Netflix so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric and spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” GLAAD said in the statement. “Attention Ricky and Netflix: people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV to others.”
The statement continues, “Netflix has a policy that content ‘designed to incite hate or violence’ is not allowed on their platform, but we all know that anti-lgbtq content does exactly that. While Netflix is home to some groundbreaking LGBTQ shows, it refuses to enforce its own policy in comedy.
In a statement, GLAAD called the special “dangerous,” saying that it consists of “anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes.”
“We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘comedy’ special on Netflix so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric and spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” GLAAD said in the statement. “Attention Ricky and Netflix: people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV to others.”
The statement continues, “Netflix has a policy that content ‘designed to incite hate or violence’ is not allowed on their platform, but we all know that anti-lgbtq content does exactly that. While Netflix is home to some groundbreaking LGBTQ shows, it refuses to enforce its own policy in comedy.
- 5/24/2022
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
After a long five-year absence, Kendrick Lamar has finally returned. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers is the kind of dense, complex, contradictory, and thrilling journey into the mind of Pulitzer Kenny that we’ve been waiting for. With more than 70 minutes of music, there’s plenty here to process, enjoy, and debate. Our full review is on its way. In the meantime, here are five observations from a long night of deep listening.
1. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Is a Double Album … Sort Of
While formatted like a double album,...
1. Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Is a Double Album … Sort Of
While formatted like a double album,...
- 5/13/2022
- by Mosi Reeves
- Rollingstone.com
What did you think of “Outlander” Season 6, Episode 7 “Sticks and Stones,” which aired Sunday, April 24, and Episode 8 “I Am Not Alone,” which aired Sunday, May 1, on Starz? Senior editor Rob Licuria and super-fan and contributing writer Paula Sullivan-Licuria dish the highs and lows of the episodes in this eighth and final installment of our ongoing video series this season (watch the video recap above).
In the seventh and penultimate episode, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) tries to overcome her demons as a nefarious rumor begins to spread on the Ridge. In the eighth and final episode, Richard Brown (Chris Larkin) and his Committee of Safety arrive to arrest Claire for murder but finding a judge to try their case proves difficult. “Sticks and Stones” is written by Danielle Berrow and directed by Jamie Payne, while “I Am Not Alone” is written by Luke Schelhaas and is also directed by Payne.
See ‘Outlander...
In the seventh and penultimate episode, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) tries to overcome her demons as a nefarious rumor begins to spread on the Ridge. In the eighth and final episode, Richard Brown (Chris Larkin) and his Committee of Safety arrive to arrest Claire for murder but finding a judge to try their case proves difficult. “Sticks and Stones” is written by Danielle Berrow and directed by Jamie Payne, while “I Am Not Alone” is written by Luke Schelhaas and is also directed by Payne.
See ‘Outlander...
- 5/9/2022
- by Rob Licuria and Paula Sullivan-Licuria
- Gold Derby
Outlander Sticks and Stones Trailer — Starz‘s Outlander: Season 6, Episode 7: Sticks and Stones TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew Outlander stars Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, Caitlin O’Ryan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Colin Michael Carmichael, David Berry, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, César Domboy, and Lauren Lyle. Ronald [...]
Continue reading: Outlander: Season 6, Episode 7: Sticks and Stones TV Show Trailer [Starz]...
Continue reading: Outlander: Season 6, Episode 7: Sticks and Stones TV Show Trailer [Starz]...
- 4/13/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Dave Chappelle is denying a claim that he was invited, but declined, to meet with Netflix’s transgender employees/allies who took issue with his latest stand-up comedy special and on Oct. 20 staged a walkout. But he is open to such a sitdown, he said in a video posted Monday afternoon to his Instagram account.
“If they had invited me I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about,” Chappelle says in the video below. “I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not?...
“If they had invited me I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about,” Chappelle says in the video below. “I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not?...
- 10/25/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Netflix on Wednesday strongly contested the insistence of a now-fired staffer that the staffer did not leak confidential financial information about Dave Chappelle and others to the press.
“While we would never normally talk about an investigation like this, these claims are not supported by the facts,” a spokesperson for the streamer told Deadline, less than a hour after the now pink-slipped B. Pagels-Minor told Deadline that they only shared a data-rich document last week internally, albeit widely.
Going public for the first time since being axed late last week, the non-binary identifying Pagels-Minor was among the speakers Wednesday at the walkout rally of anti-transphobia protesters and Netflix staffers opposed to Netflix’s reaction to outcry over Chappelle’s comments about the trans and LGBTQ+ communities in his comedy special The Closer.
“This employee admitted sharing confidential information externally from their Netflix email on several occasions,” the Netflix spokesperson continued,...
“While we would never normally talk about an investigation like this, these claims are not supported by the facts,” a spokesperson for the streamer told Deadline, less than a hour after the now pink-slipped B. Pagels-Minor told Deadline that they only shared a data-rich document last week internally, albeit widely.
Going public for the first time since being axed late last week, the non-binary identifying Pagels-Minor was among the speakers Wednesday at the walkout rally of anti-transphobia protesters and Netflix staffers opposed to Netflix’s reaction to outcry over Chappelle’s comments about the trans and LGBTQ+ communities in his comedy special The Closer.
“This employee admitted sharing confidential information externally from their Netflix email on several occasions,” the Netflix spokesperson continued,...
- 10/20/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Inside the Netflix Walkout: Trans Employees Rally Against Company Support for Dave Chappelle Special
Netflix employees of all walks of life banded together on Wednesday for a rally and virtual walkout from the company’s Hollywood office. The event was organized in response to the streaming giant’s promotion of Dave Chappelle’s recent transphobic standup special “The Closer” and Netflix’s botched handling of the ensuing fallout. Employees participating in the visual walkout were expected to, per The Hollywood Reporter, “not do any work for Netflix and instead engage in content that does support the trans community and donate to charities. ”
The company, led by co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos, has been embroiled in controversy over the last two weeks, since the October 5 release of “The Closer,” which triples down on Chappelle’s long-standing fixation on ripping into the transgender community. The mess included embarrassing leaks of internal communications, temporary suspensions of trans employees who spoke out, and, in one case, the...
The company, led by co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos, has been embroiled in controversy over the last two weeks, since the October 5 release of “The Closer,” which triples down on Chappelle’s long-standing fixation on ripping into the transgender community. The mess included embarrassing leaks of internal communications, temporary suspensions of trans employees who spoke out, and, in one case, the...
- 10/20/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos is admitting that he “screwed up” his initial response to the controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle‘s latest stand-up special The Closer, which drew ire for humor deemed transphobic by a number of the company’s employees.
In an internal memo leaked Oct. 11, Sarandos first acknowledged the controversy that had stemmed from The Closer, but defended Chappelle’s “artistic freedom.” He also said that Netflix had no plans to remove the special due to outside pressure. Then in a subsequent memo on Oct. 13, Sarandos doubled down on his defense of Chappelle, telling his staff that The Closer...
In an internal memo leaked Oct. 11, Sarandos first acknowledged the controversy that had stemmed from The Closer, but defended Chappelle’s “artistic freedom.” He also said that Netflix had no plans to remove the special due to outside pressure. Then in a subsequent memo on Oct. 13, Sarandos doubled down on his defense of Chappelle, telling his staff that The Closer...
- 10/20/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Terra Field, a trans Netflix employee who denounced Dave Chappelle’s “attacks [on] the trans community” in his new special “The Closer,” has elaborated on her criticism of the company’s defense for releasing the special.
On Monday, Field shared an online essay titled “It Was Never About Dave” on her Medium blog. Field begins the essay by recounting a similar internal backlash that followed Netflix’s release of Chappelle’s previous special “Sticks & Stones” in 2019.
“Two years ago when ‘Sticks & Stones’ released, the Black and Trans* ERGs came together and held very candid and vulnerable discussions about how the transphobic content of [the special] contributes to a culture that marginalizes the Trans community and a culture that is particularly violent towards Black transgender women,” Field writes. “Two years later, ‘The Closer’ released and the same conversation started again… I felt like all the work we did after ‘Sticks & Stones’ was meaningless...
On Monday, Field shared an online essay titled “It Was Never About Dave” on her Medium blog. Field begins the essay by recounting a similar internal backlash that followed Netflix’s release of Chappelle’s previous special “Sticks & Stones” in 2019.
“Two years ago when ‘Sticks & Stones’ released, the Black and Trans* ERGs came together and held very candid and vulnerable discussions about how the transphobic content of [the special] contributes to a culture that marginalizes the Trans community and a culture that is particularly violent towards Black transgender women,” Field writes. “Two years later, ‘The Closer’ released and the same conversation started again… I felt like all the work we did after ‘Sticks & Stones’ was meaningless...
- 10/19/2021
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix terminated an unidentified staffer who shared “commercially sensitive information” with someone outside the company that was included in a Bloomberg news report, violating the streamer’s policies.
The data included Netflix financial figures for Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer” stand-up special, which has stirred a major backlash both inside and outside the company over the comedian’s transphobic material.
“We have let go an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.”
A source familiar with the situation told Variety that the confidential information in question was cited in a Bloomberg article about the Netflix employee protests about Chappelle’s special. The company’s internal system logs showed that there was...
The data included Netflix financial figures for Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer” stand-up special, which has stirred a major backlash both inside and outside the company over the comedian’s transphobic material.
“We have let go an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.”
A source familiar with the situation told Variety that the confidential information in question was cited in a Bloomberg article about the Netflix employee protests about Chappelle’s special. The company’s internal system logs showed that there was...
- 10/15/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Now things are really getting messy.
Netflix has today fired a long time employee who leaked confidential financial information in response to the streamer’s launch of Dave Chappelle’s controversial The Closer special on October 5.
“We have let go of an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company,” a Netflix spokesperson said Friday.”We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.”
The employee in question is not Terra Field. The Northern California based senior software engineer posted pointed tweets about Chappelle’s trans focused special and how it made her feel as a trans staffer at the streamer. In a case of terrible timing, Field and two other staffers were placed on suspension earlier this week for allegedly crashing a virtual meeting above their pay grade. As...
Netflix has today fired a long time employee who leaked confidential financial information in response to the streamer’s launch of Dave Chappelle’s controversial The Closer special on October 5.
“We have let go of an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company,” a Netflix spokesperson said Friday.”We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.”
The employee in question is not Terra Field. The Northern California based senior software engineer posted pointed tweets about Chappelle’s trans focused special and how it made her feel as a trans staffer at the streamer. In a case of terrible timing, Field and two other staffers were placed on suspension earlier this week for allegedly crashing a virtual meeting above their pay grade. As...
- 10/15/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Trans employees and allies at Netflix are planning a walkout on Wednesday, Oct. 20 in protest of Co-CEO Ted Sarandos’ comments regarding Dave Chappelle’s new special “The Closer,” Variety has confirmed.
As reported by The Verge, a leader of the streamer’s trans employee resource group wrote the following in a message to members: “Trans Lives Matter. Trans Rights Matter. And as an organization, Netflix has continually failed to show deep care in our mission to Entertain the World by repeatedly releasing content that harms the Trans community and continually failing to create content that represents and uplifts Trans content. We can and must do better!”
Netflix’s Most Twitter account dedicated to LGBTQ+ content posted Wednesday, “We can’t always control what goes on screen. What we can control is what we create here, and the Pov we bring to internal conversations.”
To be clear: As the queer and...
As reported by The Verge, a leader of the streamer’s trans employee resource group wrote the following in a message to members: “Trans Lives Matter. Trans Rights Matter. And as an organization, Netflix has continually failed to show deep care in our mission to Entertain the World by repeatedly releasing content that harms the Trans community and continually failing to create content that represents and uplifts Trans content. We can and must do better!”
Netflix’s Most Twitter account dedicated to LGBTQ+ content posted Wednesday, “We can’t always control what goes on screen. What we can control is what we create here, and the Pov we bring to internal conversations.”
To be clear: As the queer and...
- 10/13/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is addressing complaints about Dave Chappelle‘s The Closer, the last in a string of stand-up specials that is being criticized for comments deemed “dangerously transphobic” by at least one member of the streaming service’s creative community. But one thing the service is not prepared to do is take down or alter Chappelle’s set.
Released on Oct. 5, the 72-minute special was promoted as the last in a “body of work” that also included 2017’s The Age of Spin, Deep In the Heart of Texas, Equanimity and The Bird Revelation, followed by 2019’s Sticks & Stones. During The Closer,...
Released on Oct. 5, the 72-minute special was promoted as the last in a “body of work” that also included 2017’s The Age of Spin, Deep In the Heart of Texas, Equanimity and The Bird Revelation, followed by 2019’s Sticks & Stones. During The Closer,...
- 10/11/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Netflix has suspended three employees for crashing a meeting of its top executives, including an out trans person who criticized a new comedy special from Dave Chappelle, sources tell Variety.
Terra Field, a senior software engineer based in San Francisco, was among those suspended late last week for attending the “Qbr” — Netflix’s quarterly business review, a two-day affair that convenes the top 500 employees at the company.
Field, who identifies as queer and trans, and the other employees were not invited to the virtual gathering, according to insiders. Netflix did not suspend Field over recent tweets decrying what she called anti-trans jokes in the Chappelle special, individuals familiar with Netflix said, but for attending uninvited. An investigation has been launched into the three employees.
Field did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“It is absolutely untrue to say that we have suspended any employees for tweeting about this show.
Terra Field, a senior software engineer based in San Francisco, was among those suspended late last week for attending the “Qbr” — Netflix’s quarterly business review, a two-day affair that convenes the top 500 employees at the company.
Field, who identifies as queer and trans, and the other employees were not invited to the virtual gathering, according to insiders. Netflix did not suspend Field over recent tweets decrying what she called anti-trans jokes in the Chappelle special, individuals familiar with Netflix said, but for attending uninvited. An investigation has been launched into the three employees.
Field did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“It is absolutely untrue to say that we have suspended any employees for tweeting about this show.
- 10/11/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Update: GLAAD has issued a response to Netflix’s memo regarding the Chappelle special: “Netflix has a policy that content ‘designed to incite hate or violence’ is not allowed on the platform, but we all know that anti-lgbtq content does exactly that. While Netflix is home to groundbreaking LGBTQ stories, now is the time for Netflix execs to listen to LGBTQ employees, industry leaders, and audiences and commit to living up to their own standards.”
Earlier: In an October 8 memo sent to employees, Netflix’s co-chief executive officer and chief content officer Ted Sarandos defended the controversial release of Dave Chappelle’s new stand-up comedy special “The Closer” (read IndieWire’s review here). Netflix released “The Closer” via streaming on October 5. Chappelle has come under fire since the special’s release for making homophobic and anti-trans jokes. Organizations such as GLAAD and The National Black Justice Coalition condemned “The Closer...
Earlier: In an October 8 memo sent to employees, Netflix’s co-chief executive officer and chief content officer Ted Sarandos defended the controversial release of Dave Chappelle’s new stand-up comedy special “The Closer” (read IndieWire’s review here). Netflix released “The Closer” via streaming on October 5. Chappelle has come under fire since the special’s release for making homophobic and anti-trans jokes. Organizations such as GLAAD and The National Black Justice Coalition condemned “The Closer...
- 10/11/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos has addressed staff members on the streamer’s controversial new Dave Chappelle stand-up special, “The Closer.”
The firebrand comedian has drawn criticism from the LGBTQ+ community in recent days over several jokes, specifically around the “thin skin” of trans people and the effects of so-called “cancel culture.”
In a Friday memo sent after Netflix’s quarterly business review, a two-day gathering of the top 500 employees at the company, Sarandos offered guidance on how managers should handle upset employees and angry talent speaking out against Chappelle. It was the same meeting crashed by three junior staffers, one of whom was an out trans person who was critical of Chappelle on Twitter last week. All three were suspended, an an investigation is pending.
“Chappelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long standing deal with him. His last special “Sticks & Stones,...
The firebrand comedian has drawn criticism from the LGBTQ+ community in recent days over several jokes, specifically around the “thin skin” of trans people and the effects of so-called “cancel culture.”
In a Friday memo sent after Netflix’s quarterly business review, a two-day gathering of the top 500 employees at the company, Sarandos offered guidance on how managers should handle upset employees and angry talent speaking out against Chappelle. It was the same meeting crashed by three junior staffers, one of whom was an out trans person who was critical of Chappelle on Twitter last week. All three were suspended, an an investigation is pending.
“Chappelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long standing deal with him. His last special “Sticks & Stones,...
- 10/11/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Chappelle is back, baby.
The comedian returns to Netflix with his latest stand-up special, "The Closer," which premiered on the streaming service on October 5. The Detroit-set special is sixth in the "Half Baked" star's comedy special filmography, all of which have been helmed and produced by television luminary Stan Lathan. Both Lathan and Chappelle scored Emmys for their past collaborations, including, "The Age Of Spin," "Deep In The Heart Of Texas," "Equanimity," "The Bird Revelation," and "Sticks & Stones."
As he did for "Sticks & Stones," actor Morgan Freeman filmed a promo video and took the opportunity to get on...
The post Dave Chappelle: The Closer Trailer: Morgan Freeman Puts the Pressure on the Comedian appeared first on /Film.
The comedian returns to Netflix with his latest stand-up special, "The Closer," which premiered on the streaming service on October 5. The Detroit-set special is sixth in the "Half Baked" star's comedy special filmography, all of which have been helmed and produced by television luminary Stan Lathan. Both Lathan and Chappelle scored Emmys for their past collaborations, including, "The Age Of Spin," "Deep In The Heart Of Texas," "Equanimity," "The Bird Revelation," and "Sticks & Stones."
As he did for "Sticks & Stones," actor Morgan Freeman filmed a promo video and took the opportunity to get on...
The post Dave Chappelle: The Closer Trailer: Morgan Freeman Puts the Pressure on the Comedian appeared first on /Film.
- 10/6/2021
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Update, with trailer Dave Chappelle is returning to Netflix with a new stand-up special, The Closer. Emmy-winning director Stan Lathan, who has directed all six of Chappelle’s Netflix specials, also returns to direct The Closer, which premieres globally on Netflix October 5.
Billed as ‘the sixth chapter”, the special wraps up a body of work for Chappelle which includes The Age Of Spin, Deep In The Heart Of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, And Sticks & Stones.
Chappelle has received five Emmy awards including three for his Netflix comedy special Sticks & Stones (2019) and Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2017), and two for hosting Saturday Night Live.
Chappelle is a three-time Grammy winner for Sticks & Stones, Equanimity & The Bird Revelation, and The Age Of Spin & Deep In The Heart Of Texas.
Chappelle received the coveted Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019.
Watch the trailer above.
Billed as ‘the sixth chapter”, the special wraps up a body of work for Chappelle which includes The Age Of Spin, Deep In The Heart Of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, And Sticks & Stones.
Chappelle has received five Emmy awards including three for his Netflix comedy special Sticks & Stones (2019) and Equanimity & The Bird Revelation (2017), and two for hosting Saturday Night Live.
Chappelle is a three-time Grammy winner for Sticks & Stones, Equanimity & The Bird Revelation, and The Age Of Spin & Deep In The Heart Of Texas.
Chappelle received the coveted Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019.
Watch the trailer above.
- 10/4/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is giving viewers their first look at Dave Chappelle‘s next comedy special for the streaming platform as The Closer gears up for a Tuesday, October 5, release date. The comedian reunites with director Stan Lathan for The Closer which completes a body of work on Netflix that includes The Age of Spin, Deep In The Heart Of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, and Sticks & Stones. Considered the sixth chapter, The Closer sees the comedian address new topics and provide signature laughs to his audience. (Credit: Netflix) Along with unveiling a first look poster, Netflix also offered a peek at Chappelle’s routine. The teaser opens with him saying that “comedians have a responsibility to speak recklessly.” What that means in Chappelle’s eyes is that “sometimes the funniest thing to say is mean,” he jokes. “Remember, I’m not saying it to be mean, I’m saying it because it’s funny.
- 9/29/2021
- TV Insider
Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed had some choice words for Dave Chappelle this evening on the red carpet at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Reed was responding to Chappelle’s scathing comments about the film in his latest Netflix special, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones.
“I don’t think Dave Chappelle was very funny or clever to do what he did. You know, mocking kids who were raped by famous people, its like: Is that funny?” Reed said.
“Some people think it’s funny, but I don’t want this film to be positioned as part of the sort of ‘Cancel Culture,’” added the director, whose HBO docuseries investigated the alleged sex abuse of minors by Michael Jackson, at the height of the singer’s career.
“[Jackson] has been dead a long time, his music’s out there. There’s nothing in the film that says, ‘Don’t listen to Michael Jackson.’ There...
Reed was responding to Chappelle’s scathing comments about the film in his latest Netflix special, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones.
“I don’t think Dave Chappelle was very funny or clever to do what he did. You know, mocking kids who were raped by famous people, its like: Is that funny?” Reed said.
“Some people think it’s funny, but I don’t want this film to be positioned as part of the sort of ‘Cancel Culture,’” added the director, whose HBO docuseries investigated the alleged sex abuse of minors by Michael Jackson, at the height of the singer’s career.
“[Jackson] has been dead a long time, his music’s out there. There’s nothing in the film that says, ‘Don’t listen to Michael Jackson.’ There...
- 9/15/2019
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Let’s name some ridiculously successful comedians: Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer, Trevor Noah, Ken Jeong, Ellen DeGeneres, and Gabriel Iglesias.
Alright, now let’s do some more name-dropping because that first sentence was getting kind of long: Wanda Sykes, Adam DeVine, Joe Rogan, and Aziz Ansari. These people range from emerging leaders in comedy to bonafide cultural icons. Another thing they have in common is they all released stand-up specials on Netflix within the last year.
It’s been a banner year for Netflix’s comedy roster, but the veteran streaming service’s rapidly expanding library of stand-up specials and scripted comedy series isn’t a new development — it’s ongoing. The days of Netflix being the only Svod streaming service that produces original, high-quality content are long gone, but when it comes to comedy, Netflix is still the industry’s uncontested leader.
That said, there have been...
Alright, now let’s do some more name-dropping because that first sentence was getting kind of long: Wanda Sykes, Adam DeVine, Joe Rogan, and Aziz Ansari. These people range from emerging leaders in comedy to bonafide cultural icons. Another thing they have in common is they all released stand-up specials on Netflix within the last year.
It’s been a banner year for Netflix’s comedy roster, but the veteran streaming service’s rapidly expanding library of stand-up specials and scripted comedy series isn’t a new development — it’s ongoing. The days of Netflix being the only Svod streaming service that produces original, high-quality content are long gone, but when it comes to comedy, Netflix is still the industry’s uncontested leader.
That said, there have been...
- 9/6/2019
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
Alison Grillo can see both sides of the debate around Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix stand-up special, “Sticks & Stones,” which has been criticized for jokes about Lgbtq people. As a comedian, she thinks Chappelle should be free to joke about anything. But as a trans woman, she said one of his jokes “rankled” her a little bit.
“I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t make jokes about Michael Jackson, or you shouldn’t make jokes about trans people unless you’re trans, or you shouldn’t make jokes about school shootings unless you’ve been in a school shooting. No. I wouldn’t put that level of censorship on anyone,” Grillo told TheWrap.
But she didn’t love a joke in which a character isn’t sure what pronoun to use for trans people: “I guess the most offensive joke I would say, personally, was the joke about the Lgbt people in the car,...
“I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t make jokes about Michael Jackson, or you shouldn’t make jokes about trans people unless you’re trans, or you shouldn’t make jokes about school shootings unless you’ve been in a school shooting. No. I wouldn’t put that level of censorship on anyone,” Grillo told TheWrap.
But she didn’t love a joke in which a character isn’t sure what pronoun to use for trans people: “I guess the most offensive joke I would say, personally, was the joke about the Lgbt people in the car,...
- 9/5/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Dave Chappelle roams a desert-like landscape in the new trailer for Sticks & Stones, the comedian’s fifth Netflix stand-up special that airs on August 26th.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the one-minute clip features Chappelle sauntering the salt flat, eventually coming across a white backdrop. He sits on a stool with a microphone as the camera zooms in. “How did we get here, I wonder?” Freeman asks. “I don’t mean that metaphorically; I’m really asking. How did Dave get here? I mean, what the fuck is this? Ah,...
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the one-minute clip features Chappelle sauntering the salt flat, eventually coming across a white backdrop. He sits on a stool with a microphone as the camera zooms in. “How did we get here, I wonder?” Freeman asks. “I don’t mean that metaphorically; I’m really asking. How did Dave get here? I mean, what the fuck is this? Ah,...
- 8/15/2019
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Dave Chappelle is coming back to Netflix.
The streamer has dropped a surprise trailer for a new stand-up special from the comedian entitled “Sticks & Stones.” While the trailer doesn’t reveal any of Chappelle’s material from the forthcoming special, it is narrated by Morgan Freeman.
“If you say anything, you risk everything,” says Freeman as Chappelle strides across a vast salt flat. “But if that’s the way it’s gotta be, Ok, fine, f— it. He’s back, folks.”
Chappelle’s previous specials on the streamer, which came out in late 2017, heralded his explosion back onto the national stage after an extended hiatus. Chappelle notably hosted the first post-2016 Presidential election episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
The comedian had signed a deal with Netflix in 2016 to deliver three stand-up specials, before releasing a surprise fourth. He made a brief, unexpected foray into film last year with a...
The streamer has dropped a surprise trailer for a new stand-up special from the comedian entitled “Sticks & Stones.” While the trailer doesn’t reveal any of Chappelle’s material from the forthcoming special, it is narrated by Morgan Freeman.
“If you say anything, you risk everything,” says Freeman as Chappelle strides across a vast salt flat. “But if that’s the way it’s gotta be, Ok, fine, f— it. He’s back, folks.”
Chappelle’s previous specials on the streamer, which came out in late 2017, heralded his explosion back onto the national stage after an extended hiatus. Chappelle notably hosted the first post-2016 Presidential election episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
The comedian had signed a deal with Netflix in 2016 to deliver three stand-up specials, before releasing a surprise fourth. He made a brief, unexpected foray into film last year with a...
- 8/15/2019
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
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