Feb 19, 2022 Netflix and Dave Chappelle are sticking together. Chappelle will produce and host a series of four specials featuring stand-up comics he has handpicked, Netflix announced in a news release Friday. The announcement comes more than four months after Netflix was roiled by internal divisions and public scrutiny over Chappelle’s latest special, "The Closer." The first comedian featured on "Chappelle's Home Team" will be Earthquake (also known as Nathaniel Martin Stroman), the streaming giant said. "Earthquake: Legendary" debuts Feb. 28. The second special will showcase Donnell Rawlings, a comedian who appeared on Comedy Central's sketch series "Chappelle's Show" and HBO's "The Wire." The company did not announce a release date for Rawlings’ entry in the series. “I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” Chappelle said in a statement. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment,” he added. In the fall of 2021, “The Closer” was blasted for content that many critics called transphobic and anti-LGBTQ. Netflix employees staged a walkout in protest, but the company stood by Chappelle. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-CEO, said in a staff memo in October that the firm supports “creative freedom — even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful.” Netflix said Friday that Chappelle will appear in each installment of “Chappelle’s Home Team” to introduce the headliner.
