'Transphobia is murder': SNL staff boycott Dave Chappelle gig

The comedian will return to Saturday Night Live for the first time since his Netflix special where he described himself as team TERF" like J.K Rowling.

The comedian will return to Saturday Night Live for the first time since his Netflix special where he described himself as team TERF" like J.K Rowling.

Staff writers on Saturday Night Live are reportedly walking out of the writer's room, following the announcement that Dave Chappelle will return to host the sketch show. 

Chappelle is set to host the show on November 12, which will be his first time hosting since the release of his controversial comedy special The Closer, which was condemned widely by LGBTQ+ groups for material deemed as “transphobic.”

Page Six reports that some Saturday Night Live writers will sit out on the episode to protest the comedian’s involvement. “They’re not going to do the show,” an insider told the publication. “But none of the actors are boycotting.”

A representative for Chappelle told Page Six that after meeting with writers and producers on the episode “there was no evidence of a boycott.” 

“The room was full of writers. They all pitched ideas and they seemed very excited about it…. Dave is looking to have some fun,” they told said.

In the special, Chappelle said he was “team TERF” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) and said “gender was a fact” when discussing the criticism around Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. 

The Closer, Dave Chappelle. Photo by Mathieu Bitton/Netflix.

“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,” wrote LGBTQ organisation GLAAD in a statement in the days following the release of the Netflix special. 

After the announcement that Chappelle would be hosting, SNL writer Celeste Yim reportedly wrote on Instagram Stories: “I’m trans and non-binary. I use they/them pronouns. Transphobia is murder and it should be condemned.”

Chappelle’s appearance has also been met with backlash on social media. “Wait I thought I cancelled him. Is it possible cancel culture isn’t a real thing,” tweeted ex-Netflix employee Terra Field.

Wait I thought I cancelled him. Is it possible cancel culture isn’t a real thing?? 🫠 https://t.co/cIv5oeA7Nm

— Terra Field (@RainofTerra) November 6, 2022

Field was the co-vice president of Netlix’s transgender employee resource groups. They resigned from the streaming platform in November last year in protest over the special and later led a walkout.

Having Dave Chappelle host SNL again is a slap in the face to trans people, including one of their own new cast members. What the hell Lorne?!

— Kara🏳️‍⚧️ (@Runningactor) November 6, 2022

“Having Dave Chappelle host SNL again is a slap in the face to trans people, including one of their own new cast members,” tweeted another, in reference to SNL hiring its first non-binary cast member Molly Kearney back in September.

Kearney has not publicly commented on Chappelle’s upcoming performance.

Chappelle last appeared on SNL for a post-general election special following Biden’s victory over Donald Trump