Dave Chappelle is Really Mad About “Chappelle’s Show” Residuals, HBO Max Will Also Pull Series
Dave Chappelle really feels like he got screwed on his Chappelle’s Show contract, and he’s probably not wrong about that seeing as how he gets no money from streamers who are airing the show. And a happy Dave Chappelle seems a lot more important to streamers than airing some content he made almost 20 years ago.
Netflix pulled the show immediately when Chappelle expressed his anger about it because Netflix and Chappelle have a good relationship. They’ve paid him a lot of money for stand-up specials and those specials have gotten a lot of people talking about, and presumably subscribing to, Netflix.
HBO is the other place that does stand-up specials. Comedy Central does some, sure, but who wants to be on basic cable on a network whose claim to fame is Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert used to work there? It’s mainly Netflix or HBO, and HBO is also interested in keeping Dave Chappelle happy, and Variety reports HBO Max will pull Chappelle’s Show at Dave’s request at the end of the year.
“We had a conversation with Dave. I won’t get into it, but it’s very clear that it’s a very unique and specific and emotional issue he’s got,” Bloys told Variety‘s executive editor of TV, Daniel Holloway. “So at the end of the year, at the end of this year, December 31st, we’re going to honor his request and take the show down.”
Chappelle seemed especially irked at HBO airing Chappelle’s Show because they passed on it before it was picked up by Comedy Central.
It’s a shame the show isn’t available because it’s really funny in a way that still holds up today, and it’s worth watching if you have access to it. It’s still on HBO Max until the end of the month if you want to watch it, otherwise, you’ll have to pick up the DVDs if you want to see it, which you really should if you haven’t. There’s a reason Comedy Central commissioned a dozen clones in the same format from other stand-ups like Dmitri Martin and Amy Schumer after Chappelle left.
