Netflix Doubles Down, Taps Dave Chappelle To Open Their First-Ever Comedy Festival

Netflix

• Dave Chappelle has been the center of the comedy universe since the release of his special The Closer.
• Despite the controversy surrounding him, Netflix has doubled down on their business relationship with the legendary stand-up.
• The streamer announced that Chappelle will open their Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival next spring.

Despite the months-long controversy surrounding legendary comedian Dave Chappelle, Netflix is doubling down on their relationship with the 48-year-old stand-up, as they’ve tapped him to open their 11-day-long comedy festival — Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival — next spring. Chappelle’s set, marketed as “Dave Chappelle and Friends”, will happen on April 28, the opening day of the festival, at the Hollywood Bowl.

Chappelle has been dominating the headlines ever since the release of his latest Netflix stand-up special The Closer, which was largely comprised of jokes about the LGBTQ community. Following the release of the special on October 5, Chappelle has been at the center of the controversy, with some Netflix employees staging a protest and demanding that Netflix remove the special from their service. Not only has the streaming behemoth refused to budge, but they’ve doubled down on their business partnership with Chappelle by having him open their massive comedy festival.

RELATED: Dave Chappelle’s Alma Mater Puts Foot Down, Stands By Decision To Rename Theater After Him

In addition to Chappelle, Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival will feature a bevy of heavy hitters, including but not limited to Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, David Letterman, Bill Burr, Ali Wong, Chris Rock Aziz Ansari, Chelsea Handler, Conan O’Brien, Ellen DeGeneres, Hasan Minhaj, Iliza Shlesinger, Mike Birbiglia, Mike Myers, David O. Russell, Jonathan Van Ness, Ken Jeong, Dax Shepard, Kevin Smith, Maya Rudolph, Gretchen Lieberum, Nick Kroll, Nicole Byer, Patton Oswalt, Ray Romano, Mo Amer, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson and many more.

Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival will take place across 25 venues in the Los Angeles area between April 28 and May 8. The festival will feature over 130 acts, according to the streamer. Tickets for Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival will go on sale on Friday, December 10.

Subscribe and listen to our pop culture podcast, the Post-Credit Podcast, and follow us on Twitter @PostCredPod

(Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Anchor)