IS THAT IT?

Netflix Boss Defends Chappelle, Gervais: ‘You Just Don’t Agree’ With Them

The streamer’s co-CEO said running the two comedians’ anti-trans sets presents an opportunity for Netflix to put its “principles to the test.”

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos once again defended Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, telling The New York Times that the streamer’s decision to run both comedians’ specials containing anti-trans jokes was merely an effort to offer content for people of all opinions. “We’re programming for a lot of diverse people who have different opinions and different tastes and different styles, and yet we’re not making everything for everybody,” Sarandos said in an interview with columnist Maureen Dowd. “We want something for everybody but everything’s not going to be for everybody.” The streaming boss said last year’s Netflix employee walkout—in protest of Chappelle’s latest special—caught him off-guard, but did not dissuade him from associating with the comedian. “Rarely do you get the opportunity to put your principles to the test,” he said. “It was an opportunity to take somebody, like in Dave’s case, who is, by all measure, the comedian of our generation, the most popular comedian on Netflix for sure. Nobody would say that what he does isn’t thoughtful or smart. You just don’t agree with him.”