Dave Chappelle's Netflix special The Closer is up for a Grammy Award despite the show copping significant heat over controversial jokes aimed at the transgender community.
The comedian was heavily criticised for puns about LGBTQ+ people, which prompted widespread backlash and mass walkouts by staffers of the streaming giant.
But now the show is in the running for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, a move which has ruffled feathers on social media.
To be more accurate, the news has gone down like a lead balloon, with many calling out the Recording Academy for completely ignoring public sentiment.
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Louis C.K, who also copped heavy criticism after he admitted to allegations of sexual misconduct, has also been nominated in the same category.
One Twitter user said: "On a serious note, Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. getting a Grammy nomination is weird. Recording Academy, you should be embarrassed."
A second user added: "THE AWFUL TRANSPHOBIC DAVE CHAPPELLE SPECIAL GOT NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY."
A third said: "Both Louis C.K and Dave Chappelle got Grammy nominations, don't talk to me about cancel culture."
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During the special, Chappelle said he supported J.K. Rowling, who has also been criticised for her comments about the transgender community.
At one point, he said in The Closer: "They cancelled J.K. Rowling, my God. Effectively, she said gender was a fact, the trans community got mad as s**t, they started calling her a TERF.
"I'm Team TERF. I agree. I agree, man.
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"Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact.
"Now, I am not saying that to say trans women aren't women, I am just saying that those p*****s that they got ... you know what I mean? I'm not saying it's not pussy, but it's beyond p***y or impossible p***y. It tastes like p***y, but that's not quite what it is, is it? That's not blood. That's beet juice."
There were calls for Netflix to remove the stand-up show and it sparked a heated debate about freedom of speech in comedy.
The streaming platform decided to keep the controversial special and said artists should be able to push boundaries on certain topics.
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Months after the furore, Chappelle was attacked on stage during the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival in Los Angeles.
Despite the serious situation, the comedian managed to get in a joke about the trans community, saying it was a ‘trans man’ who attacked him on stage.
The Closer has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards.
It was recognized in the Best Pre-Recorded Variety Special category as well as the Variety Special Directing category.
Topics: Grammys, Entertainment, Music
Rachel Lang