Despite the wave of controversy sparked by his last stand-up special, Netflix is still very much in the Dave Chappelle business. On Friday, the streaming platform announced a new series of stand-up specials titled Chappelle’s Home Team, which will see the comedian spotlight different comics who have had an impact on his career over the past 30 years. Chappelle will also appear in the specials to introduce the comedians, and presumably mix things up, as he does.
According to Netflix, Earthquake: Legendary will be the first special to start streaming on February 28. “Comedian Earthquake shakes up the stage and delivers aftershocks while going in hard on health as wealth, prostate exams and disciplining kids.” The next comedian featured will be Donnell Rawlings whose special “will be announced at a future time.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” Chappelle said in a Netflix press release. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.”
The Chappelle’s Home Team announcement arrives after his last special, The Closer, sparked an employee walkout at Netflix after it featured transphobic material. It was a PR nightmare for Netflix as CEO Ted Sarandos attempted to both defend the special but also acknowledge the concerns of the streamers’ LGBTQ employees. During the controversy, Chappelle portrayed himself as being “canceled,” but considering he’s now starring in a new series for Netflix, it seems like he’s doing okay.
