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Topics: Grammys, Entertainment, Music
Rachel Lang
Topics: Grammys, Entertainment, Music
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."
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.
"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.
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.