Comedian Dave Chappelle is not happy about the way his jokes are being used.
In a recent interview on NPR’s “Newsmakers,” Chappelle said he felt that his jokes about transgender people were “misrepresented” by people, especially by the Republican Party.
“I did resent that the Republican Party ran on transgender jokes. I felt like they were doing a weaponized version of what I was doing. That’s not what I was doing,” Chappelle said.
Chappelle was scheduled to perform at the First Avenue venue in Minneapolis in July 2022, but the show was canceled following backlash over his material. The performance was later moved to a nearby venue.
First Avenue issued a statement at the time apologizing for booking the show.
“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you, and we are sorry,” the statement said in part. “We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls.”
