Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos says that he "screwed up" in his defense of Dave Chappelle's special The Closer, claiming that he needed more "humanity" in his response.
In his latest stand-up release, the 48-year-old comedian defended JK Rowling after weighing in on the writer's comments about the transgender community.
Chappelle said he "agrees" that "gender is a fact", as he discussed how the Harry Potter author had been branded a "TERF" (Trans-exclusionary radical feminist).
His special sparked mass outrage on social media, with many viewers putting pressure on Netflix to remove The Closer from the streaming giant immediately.
Sarandos was widely criticized online for claiming that on-screen content doesn't cause real-world harm amid his continued defense of the comedian.
Sarandos originally defended the comic in a memo sent to staff last week, saying that artistic freedom allowed for "a very different standard of speech" than was allowed internally at the company.
Last week, Variety reported that another email was sent to the company on Monday, October 11, comparing the backlash to The Closer to Netflix's controversial film 365 Days, in that neither would allegedly have a real-world impact.
"With The Closer, we understand that the concern is not about offensive-to-some content but titles which could increase real-world harm (such as further marginalizing already marginalized groups, hate, violence etc)," Sarandos wrote.
After the mass outcry earlier this month, Sarandos offered guidance to senior members of management on how they should handle upset employees in a memo sent to the staff of the streamer, which has been obtained by Variety.
In the memo, Sarandos cited Chappelle’s success for the company: "Chappelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long-standing deal with him. His last special Sticks & Stones, also controversial, is our most-watched, stickiest, and most award-winning stand-up special to date."
"As with our other talent, we work hard to support their creative freedom - even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful," he added.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Sarandos acknowledged that he didn’t handle the situation humanely during an interview on Tuesday, October 19.
He said: "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. I should have recognized the fact that a group of our employees was really hurting."
Despite that, Sarandos doesn't regret keeping The Closer on Netflix.
