Source: Shannon Finney / Getty
Dave Chappelle went from being one of the most beloved comics of his era to now being considered a transphobic bigot in the eyes of many. Due to the Washington, D.C. native’s strong stances regarding the LGBTQ community, a Minnesota venue canceled a show date event due to Chappelle’s comments.
Taking to social media, First Avenue, where Dave Chappelle was slated to perform on Wednesday (July 20), issued a public statement regarding their decision to move the comedian’s show to another nearby venue.
“The Dave Chappelle show tonight at First Avenue has been cancelled and is moving to the Varsity Theater,” opened the statment.
It continued with, “To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry. We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. The First Avenue team and you have worked hard to make our venues the safest spaces in the country, and we will continue with that mission.
The statement concluded, “We believe in diverse voices and the freedom of artistic expression, but in honoring that, we lost sight of the impact this would have. We know there are some who will not agree with this decision; you are welcome to send feedback.”
The statement added that the Varsity Theater was a 40-minute walk away from First Avenue and that ticketholders for the sold-out show will have access to the program.
Dave Chappelle, who recently appeared at his former high school for a theater naming ceremony, has yet to respond to this latest pushback on his previous comments.
We hear you. Tonight’s show has been cancelled at First Avenue and is moving to the Varsity Theater. See our full statement for more. pic.twitter.com/tkf7rz0cc7
— First Avenue (@FirstAvenue) July 20, 2022
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Photo: Getty
Source: Hip-Hop Wired