Hannah Gadsby Tells Netflix CEO That She Thinks He’s Wrong About Chappelle’s Anti-Trans Comedy

By Lori Perkins

Image from Getty Images

Every once in a blue moon someone you admire does something that makes you feel like your respect was put in the right place.

That’s how I felt when I read that comedian Hannah Gadsby, who got her world-wide big break in a Netflix special where she did a brilliant art-history inspired set about being bullied as a lesbian woman, just came flat out and told her boss that he was wrong to defend Dave Chappelle’s recent transphobic special.

She didn’t use euphemisms. She didn’t mince words. She just posted this powerful statement on Instagram:

“Hey Ted Sarandos! Just a quick note to let you know that I would prefer if you didn’t drag my name into your mess. Now I have to deal with even more of the hate and anger that Dave Chappelle’s fans like to unleash on me every time Dave gets 20 million dollars to process his emotionally stunted partial word view.”

“You didn’t pay me nearly enough to deal with the real world consequences of the hate speech dog whistling you refuse to acknowledge, Ted. F**k you and your amoral algorithm cult… I do sh*ts with more back bone than you. That’s just a joke! I definitely didn’t cross a line because there isn’t one.”

When a commentator asked her if she actually saw the Chappelle special, which aired two weeks ago, she replied:

“Yes I watched the whole thing. Leave me alone. #transisbeautiful #comedyisdead #ikilledit”

In addition to inspiring the wrath of its second-most successful comedian, Netflix’s Sarandos has also ignited an employee walk-out as a result of his support of Chappelle statement and the firing of an employee for leaking internal documents about the cost of the Chappelle special to reporters. The walk-out is set for Monday.