Dave Chappelle will have a theater named after him by his alma mater high school despite a backlash against the comedian following his Netflix special “The Closer.”
“Recently, Dave Chappelle, via his Instagram page, challenged those who both support and oppose the decision to name the theatre at Duke Ellington School of the Arts after him through a fundraising contest,” read a statement from the school, released Sunday.
“While we appreciate Dave’s impromptu and spirited fundraising initiative, we stand behind our decision to honor the wishes of our co-founder, the late Peggy Cooper Cafritz, to name the theatre after Chappelle,” the statement added. (RELATED: ‘No One Can Be Woke Enough’: Dave Chappelle And Joe Rogan Rip ‘Woke Ideology,’ Defend Elon Musk)
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“All donations will go towards arts programming and every donor, irrespective of their support or opposition to the theater naming, will receive an official thank you from our team,” the statement continued. (RELATED: ‘Gender Is A Fact’: They’re Not Going To Be Happy With Dave Chappelle’s Latest Bit On Trans Culture)
The school explained how deeply the legendary comedian cares about the school and its students. It also called recent reports about Chappelle’s surprise visit to the school “inaccurate.”
“While there has been extensive media coverage about the theatre naming and Chappelle’s most recent visit to the school, the source stories that have gone viral have been inaccurate, devoid of context, and neglected to include the nuances of art,” the school’s message read.
The statement explained that while the “clear majority of students at Ellington favor naming the theater for Dave Chappelle” they are also taking this moment to listen to “every voice.”However, they said their purpose is not to “form a uniformity of viewpoints, but to help instill genuine, respectful curiosity in perspectives that challenge one’s own.”
The “Chappelle Show” star had previously made a deal with cancel culture regarding the naming of the theater as he encouraged those who support it being named after him donate to the school and share their support. He also shared that to those who oppose it to donate to the school and explain in their donation their opposition. He said whichever side ends up with the highest dollar amount he will respect.
Dave recently made a surprise visit to the school where he reportedly took the stage to cheers and boos. Politico reported one kid called him a “bigot” and he responded by telling the student that he didn’t believe they “could make one of the decisions” he has to make on a “given day.”
The superstar comedian made headlines following an outcry over his comments about the LGBTQ community in his latest stand-up show. In response, he said his special is about “corporate interests” and what he “can say” and “cannot say.”