Chappelle 'more than willing' to meet LGBTQ groups over special

Dave Chappelle has sparked fury over his latest Netflix special, but insists he is willing to meet transgender activists to talk about their objections

Comedian Dave Chappelle has offered to meet with the transgender community and thanked Netflix for standing by him after he was accused of stoking transphobia with his stand-up special "The Closer."

Chappelle said he is "more than willing" to meet LGBTQ groups, after his show sparked protests outside the streaming giant's Los Angeles office last week at which demonstrators said the comedian had refused to speak with them.

"I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not?"

LGBTQ groups condemned "The Closer" and warned that stereotypes about minorities can lead to real-world harm.

While the co-CEO later apologized for failing to acknowledge the pain felt by LGBTQ employees, he still insisted the show should not be taken down or have any disclaimer added.

Speaking to an arena filled with cheering fans, Chappelle said his issue was not with the LGBTQ community but with "corporate interests," noting that film festivals "began disinviting me" from airing his upcoming documentary film soon after the controversy erupted.

"To the transgender community, I'm more than willing to give you an audience," he added. "But you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody's demands."

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Originally published as Chappelle 'more than willing' to meet LGBTQ groups over special