'Chappelle's Show' Has Returned to Netflix, After a Resolution Between Dave Chappelle and Comedy Central
Chappelle revealed the news at the end of a ten-minute performance titled “Redemption Song.”
Dave Chappelle announced that Chappelle’s Show has returned to Netflix, following a resolution over the rights to the series with Comedy Central, at the end of a 10-minute stand-up performance posted to his Instagram and Netflix’s YouTube channel titled “Redemption Song.”
The show was removed from Netflix in late November 2020 at Chappelle’s request, following its premiere on the streaming platform earlier that month. In “Unforgiven”, an Instagram clip posted by Chappelle on November 24, the comedian spoke about his on-going dispute with Comedy Central and its parent company ViacomCBS and the enduring consequences of the “raw deal” he’d been dealt by network, which in this instance, had licensed the show to Netflix as well as HBO Max without his permission.
In “Redemption Song,” Chappelle expresses his gratitude to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos for his willingness to remove the show initially and to ViacomCBS president Chris McCarthy for “making the past right.” He also thanks his fans for boycotting the show at his request, which he characterizes as a deciding factor in his negotiations with Comedy Central.
“You made that show worthless because without your eyes it’s nothing. And when you stopped watching it, they called me and I got my name back, and I got my license back, and I got my show back and they paid me millions of dollars,” Chappelle says. He later concludes, “finally after all these years I can finally say that Comedy Central, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Watch the performance clip above for his full remarks on the conclusion of the Chappelle’s Show dispute as well as his thoughts on COVID-19 and the recent storming of the U.S. Capitol.
