Controversial Dave Chappelle and other stand-ups who made comebacks
Historic Minneapolis venue cancels Dave Chappelle show due to major backlash
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CELEBRITY Comedy
Stand-up comedy is no funny business. It's a tight industry, with only a handful of names making it to A-list status. Dave Chappelle is one of the lucky ones who made it, and then made it again after disappearing from comedy for over a decade, though not without some self-inflicted bumps along the way.
While he returned to critical acclaim and has made a deal to produce many more comedy specials for Netflix, Chappelle is still a divisive figure whose comments about the LGBTQ+ community have blacklisted him in many spaces. Most recently, his show at Minneapolis’ historic First Avenue theater was canceled the day of, after the venue finally addressed the backlash from staff and patrons caused by Chappelle's history of telling transphobic jokes. A statement from First Avenue read, "To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry. 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.”
Chappelle is far from the only comedian with a controversial comeback story. Click on to learn more and discover some other famous cases.
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