A representative for Dave Chappelle claims he’s ready to extend an olive branch after his Netflix stand-up special The Closer sparked backlash from the LGBTQ community.
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Dave Chappelle
A representative for the five-time Emmy Award winner, 48, tells PEOPLE he is open to a dialogue with the streaming platform’s employees.
“Dave stands by his Art. Both sides of the street are talking and Dave is listening. At some point, when everyone is open, I’m sure our communities will come together,” says a rep for Chappelle.
Transgender activist Ashlee Marie Preston, who organized the employee walk-out and protest Wednesday at Netflix, has claimed that Chappelle was invited to participate in a discussion over the harm his special has inflicted on the trans community.
RELATED: Netflix Co-CEO Says He ‘Screwed Up’ amid Backlash Over Dave Chappelle’s Comedy Special
“Dave Chappelle was not ‘canceled.’ He’s been invited to the table for transformative dialogue but won’t show up,” Preston wrote last week on Twitter. “That’s not ‘cancel culture,’ but an avoidance of accountability. He’s no victim. The man is worth $50M. Unlike many trans people his comedy stigmatizes— he’ll live.”
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Dave Chappelle
Video: Some Netflix employees stage walkout to protest Dave Chappelle special (NBC News)
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A representative for Netflix did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Dave Chappelle was not “canceled.” He’s been invited to the table for transformative dialogue but won’t show up. That’s not “cancel culture,” but an avoidance of accountability. He’s no victim. The man is worth $50M. Unlike many trans people his comedy stigmatizes— he’ll live.
— Ashlee Marie Preston (@AshleeMPreston) October 13, 2021
Chappelle’s rep denied that Preston reached out about the walk-out protest, adding that the comedian is open to a dialogue with any group. Preston did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In The Closer, which premiered this month on Netflix, Chappelle made several jokes that targeted the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender people. The streamer has since faced mounting criticism from viewers and employees over providing a platform for anti-LGBTQ views.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) also denounced Chappelle’s special in a statement shared after the premiere earlier this month.
“Dave Chappelle’s brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities,” GLAAD wrote on Twitter. “Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don’t support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree.”
RELATED VIDEO: Netflix Removes Chappelle’s Show at Dave Chappelle’s Request: ‘I Was Furious’
Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos initially expressed support for Chappelle, telling Variety last week that they “work hard to support their creative freedom — even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful.”
He’s since followed up his statement, saying that he “screwed up” his response to the issue. “First and foremost, I should have led with a lot more humanity,” Sarandos told Variety this week.
“Meaning, I had a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made,” he added. “And I think that needs to be acknowledged up front before you get into the nuts and bolts of anything. I didn’t do that.”
