Dave Chappelle stand-up show Canceled by Minneapolis Venue After Social Media Backlash
3 min read
The comedian Dave Chappelle’ stand-up show in Minneapolis, Minnesota was postponed on Wednesday only hours before it was scheduled to start.
First Avenue, the renowned location that served as the backdrop for Prince’s “Purple Rain,” revealed that the performance will take place at Varsity Theater instead. The venue responded to the criticism it had seen on social media for hiring Chappelle, who has had his share of controversy this year after his Netflix special “The Closer” was condemned for transphobic jokes, in an Instagram post.
Attention Dave Chappelle Fans! The show scheduled for tonight at First Ave has now been moved to Varsity Theater. Your tickets from First Ave will be honored. Doors open at 8PM and we highly recommend arriving early.
— Varsity Theater (@VarsityTheater) July 20, 2022
This event will be a phone-free experience. pic.twitter.com/khrphPmqZo
“We hear you, staff, artists, and members of our community, and we apologize. We are aware that we must hold ourselves to the highest standards and that you were disappointed. We recognize that First Avenue is more than simply a room and that it has significance outside of our walls. We are not just a black box with people in it. “You and the First Avenue team have worked hard to make our locations the safest places in the nation, and we will keep up that effort. We respect the right to free speech and artistic expression, but in doing so, we neglected to consider the consequences.
Social media for First Avenue was flooded with criticism for Dave Chappelle of the comic
Even though TMZ reported that tickets rapidly sold out, First Avenue’s social media was flooded with criticism of the comic after Chappelle’s event was announced earlier this week. When your guild regulations (sic) expressly indicate that homophobic or transphobic language will not be accepted, it is disgusting that you are allowing Dave [Chappelle] to play at your venue, one commenter writes.
Whenever these institutions respond with something like “we heard you loud and clear!” What they heard were like 10 nutjobs on social media, as opposed to the fans who would’ve packed in the sold out venue, as Chappelle sells out every damn gig he does
— Mike(Chuck Fletcher's #1 fan) (@Boston__Sucks) July 21, 2022Advertisement
In addition to two more performances on July 21 and 22, the play on Wednesday is now being held at Dinkytown’s Varsity Theater.
So the theater was worried about people intentionally buying tickets, intentionally attending the show, and being offended? lol
— Marky Mark (@MarkyUSA) July 21, 2022
In a recent address made at his alma mater that was recently published by Netflix, Chappelle reiterated the defense of his gags by praising artistic expression. Chappelle said in his address, “What’s in a Name?,” that he had chosen to call the school’s theatre the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression rather than have it named after him. Chappelle clarified that he made the choice after discussing it with kids at the school after they protested his comments in “The Closer.”
Ankita Khanrah
Ankita Khanrah is a second-year student of the Master of Communication and Journalism (Integrated) programme at the School of Mass Communication, KIIT Deemed University, Bhubaneswar.
