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Netflix CEO: ‘I Screwed Up’ Response to Chappelle Controversy

The special, though criticized as transphobic, did not fall into the company’s definition of hate speech, Ted Sarandos said.

Netflix’s CEO responded Tuesday to continuing criticism of material in Dave Chappelle’s most recent comedy special, “The Closer,” and of the company’s own handling of it. Transgender Netflix employees called the stand-up transphobic and planned a walkout, which led to Netflix firing the organizer. Sarandos said he failed to acknowledge his employees’ feelings as valid: “I screwed up that internal communication… I had a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made.” The executive said he had spoken briefly with Chappelle since the controversy began and had spent the past few days sitting down with his own employees to hear out their concerns. The special, Sarandos said, did not fall into the company’s definition of hate speech and would remain available to stream.