Dave Chappelle's latest backlash comes from his appearance at a school where he engaged in a Q&A. Photo / Getty Images
Dave Chappelle's latest backlash comes from his appearance at a school where he engaged in a Q&A. Photo / Getty Images
Multiple media outlets have reported comedian Dave Chappelle made a recent appearance at his former high school and things went south very quickly.
The 54-year-old comedian visited Duke Ellington School of the Arts earlier this week and spoke to about 580 students who voiced their concerns over his recent Netflix special "The Closer".
Dave Chappelle's latest backlash comes from his appearance at a school where he engaged in a Q&A. Photo / Getty Images
Chappelle's "The Closer" first aired on October 1 and gained millions of views. However, Chapelle's disparaging remarks about the transgender community raised protests within Netflix and from activists. About 30 Netflix workers staged an October 20 walkout and joined a rally at Netflix offices in Los Angeles.
One student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts voiced their opinion telling Chappelle, "I'm 16 and I think you're childish, you handled it like a child", in reference to how the comedian reacted to initial backlash.
Chappelle responded to the student: "With all due respect, I don't believe you could make one of the decisions I have to make on a given day."
At the beginning of the assembly, students were asked to put their cell phones in "pouches", Chappelle then made his way on stage and asked students to raise their hand if they were offended by him and even voice their grievances.
A source told Insider: "Two transgender people were in line and one transgender person was trying to explain and Dave Chappelle kept talking over him and blatantly disrespecting the fact that he was talking and trying to make a joke out of the situation.
"And then the second transgender person tried to explain to Dave Chappelle what misgendering was and Dave Chappelle interrupted her and completely ignored that. And then moved on to the next person."
A billboard promoting Chappelle's Netflix special "The Closer". Photo / Getty Images
Chappelle reportedly told the students: "I am better at what I do than all of you in this room combined."
He seemed reluctant to engage with the concerns of those in the room, going on to say: "You can't silence me. How dare you try to silence me."
Despite the rocky nature of the Q&A, it seems not everyone was opposed to Chappelle's appearance, with a majority of students clapping as he made his way on stage.
It has since been reported the school is in the process of naming their theatre after the comedian.
