Netflix pulls ‘Chappelle’s Show’ from platform at comedian’s request amid pay dispute
Netflix quietly removed “Chappelle’s Show” from its platform early Tuesday, apparently at the request of comedian Dave Chappelle, who has criticized ViacomCBS for licensing the show without paying him.
The 47-year-old comedian, who addressed the issue during a recent appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” posted a video to Instagram on Tuesday explaining that he had asked Netflix to remove the former Comedy Central series and that company executives had agreed.
“People think I made a lot of money from ‘Chappelle’s Show,’ he said in the video. “When I left that show I never got paid. They (ViacomCBS) didn’t have to pay me because I signed the contract. But is that right? I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me.”
A representative for Netflix declined to comment but confirmed to McClatchy News on background that it had “honored a request from Dave as our creative partner” and pulled the show from its service overnight.
“Chappelle’s Show,” which ran from 2003 to 2006, began streaming on Netflix Nov. 1. The streaming service inked a lucrative deal with Chappelle for a series of comedy specials in 2016 but licensed “Chappelle’s Show,” which is owned by ViacomCBS, on a “non-exclusive basis,” according to Deadline Hollywood.
Chappelle has been vocal about his issues with the network and lauded Netflix for being receptive to his concerns.
“When I found out they were streaming Chappelle’s Show, I was furious,” the comedian said in the 18-minute clip. “How could they not know? So you know what I did? I called them and I told them that this makes me feel bad. And you want to know what they did? They agreed that they would take it off their platform just so I could feel better.”
The sketch comedy show may be gone from Netflix, but “Chappelle’s Show” is still available to stream on various ViacomCBS outlets including Comedy Central, and was most recently licensed by HBOMax. Chappelle has made clear he doesn’t want fans tuning in, however.
At one point in the video, the comedian addresses the audience and urges them to “please don’t watch that show. Boycott Chappelle’s Show.”
“Do not watch it unless they pay me,” Chappelle added.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Netflix pulls ‘Chappelle’s Show’ from platform at comedian’s request amid pay dispute."