Netflix announced that “Chappelle’s Home Team,” a series of stand-alone comedy specials featuring comics chosen by Dave Chappelle, who serves as executive producer. The series will debut on Feb. 28 with a set from Washington comedian Earthquake.
Chappelle will appear in each special to introduce the comedians, who have all been working for over three decades. Titled “Earthquake: Legendary,” the first special features Earthquake discussing health as wealth, prostate exams and disciplining kids.
Along with Chappelle, executive producers include Earthquake, Rikki Hughes, Jermaine Smith and Stan Lathan, who also serves as director.
The second special, with premiere date yet to be announced, features Donnell Rawlings, another comic from Washington.
“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. “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.”
Chappelle is a controversial name in showbiz, especially since the release of “The Closer,” his comedy special that debuted in October of last year. In the special, he addressed his long history of making jokes about the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans people, but doubled down on the offensive humor. Notably, he called himself a member of “team TERF” (a term that stands for “trans exclusionary radical feminist”) and shared an anecdote about beating up a lesbian woman. His words, along with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos’ (later retracted) statement that “content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm,” were met with wide protest, including from employees at Netflix, three of whom were suspended and later reinstated. Most recently, Chappelle made the news for helping to kill an affordable housing plan in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio.
