Dave Chappelle show at Minneapolis’ First Avenue canceled after online backlash
Minneapolis' First Avenue on Wednesday canceled a Dave Chappelle show at the last minute after facing public backlash for booking the comedian.
Minneapolis' First Avenue on Wednesday canceled a Dave Chappelle show at the last minute after facing public backlash for booking the comedian.
“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry,” the venue said in a statement, announcing that the evening’s show had been canceled.
The decision came after an online petition on Change.org. “Dave Chappelle has a record of being dangerous to trans people, and First Avenue has a duty to protect the community," the petition, which had just over 120 signatures as of early Thursday morning, said.
"Chappelle’s actions uphold a violent heteronormative culture and directly violate First Avenue’s code of conduct," it said. "If staff and guests are held to this standard, performers should be too.”
Chappelle has faced widespread backlash over the past year over comments he made about transgender people in his Netflix special "The Closer."
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