Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos expresses regret at his handling of the controversy over The Closer, but maintains that it won't be taken down. The stand-up comedy special from Dave Chappelle was recorded over the course of seven live performances in August, 2021, and released on the streaming service on October 5. The Closer proved instantly divisive, earning mixed reviews from critics and igniting a battle over the difference between free speech and hate speech.
Like Chappelle's previous special, 2019's Sticks & Stones, The Closer has been criticized for jokes directed at the LGBTQ+ community, and the transgender community in particular, which many argue are more harmful than funny. Sarandos, meanwhile, has denied claims that the content crosses the line into hate speech, which the streaming service claims not to tolerate. Facing backlash from some of his own employees, he has remained steadfast in his decision not to remove The Closer from the streamer's library, citing Netflix's commitment to protecting the freedom of its creatives.
In a new interview with Variety, however, Sarandos admits to regretting how he responded to his employee's concerns. He refers specifically to his claim that fictional content doesn't translate to real-world harm, which he walks back, emphasizing instead that he should have approached the pain caused by The Closer with more empathy. However, reinforcing that Netflix remains committed to on-screen diversity, he insists that Chappelle's creative freedom will continue to be protected:
Obviously, I screwed up that internal communication. I did that, and I screwed it up in two ways. First and foremost, I should have led with a lot more humanity. Meaning, I had a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made. [...] We landed with some things that were much more blanket and matter-of-fact that are not at all accurate. Of course storytelling has real impact in the real world. I reiterate that because it’s why I work here, it’s why we do what we do. That impact can be hugely positive, and it can be quite negative. [...] We are trying to support creative freedom and artistic expression among the artists that work at Netflix. Sometimes, and we do make sure our employees understand this, because of that... there will be things on Netflix that you dislike. That you even find to be harmful. Where we’ll definitely draw the line is on something that would intentionally call for physically harming other people or even remove protections.
Sarandos goes on to confirm that, while he has been listening intently to arguments to the contrary, he does not believe Chappelle's material meets that disqualifying criterion. A contingent within Netflix disagrees, however, as trans employees and their allies have scheduled a walkout over The Closer for today, October 20. The group has released a list of actionable demands intended to not only repair the streamer's relationship with the trans community, but prevent any future platforming of transphobia. Removing Chappelle's special, notably, isn't among them, emphasizing instead more significant investment in trans talent and the addition of content warnings to avoid hateful representations being construed as normal.
The discussion of free speech vs hate speech, particularly in stand-up comedy, is an important one for an era that has become more conscious of issues of representation, and Sarandos' latest comments underscore that the situation is more complicated than one of creative freedom. Though he wishes to present Netflix as neutral ground, in saying that The Closer falls within its boundaries of acceptability, he betrays the company's key role in the cultural determination of where those boundaries should be set. It seems that today's walkout has more to do with convincing the streaming giant's CEO to approach that role with more thoughtfulness, and less consideration of the bottom-line, than with protesting Chappelle's comedy.
Source: Variety