Netflix Removes Chappelle's Show After Dave Chappelle Asks Them To Pull It

Netflix has removed Chappelle's Show from its service at the request of its creator, Dave Chappelle.

The comedian posted an 18-minute video on his Instagram account in which he claims he was 'never paid' when ViacomCBS licensed the show.

Captioned: "Unforgiven. This is why," the video explains why he'd asked the streamer to take down his Comedy Central series.

In the video, filmed at a recent stand up show, he said: "People think I made a lot of money from Chappelle's Show.

"When I left that show I never got paid. They [ViacomCBS] didn't have to pay me because I signed the contract.

PA

"But is that right? I found out that these people were streaming my work, and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me.

"Perfectly legal 'cause I signed the contract. But is that right? I didn't think so either.

"That's why I like working for Netflix. I like working for Netflix because when all those bad things happened to me, that company didn't even exist.

"And when I found out they were streaming Chappelle's Show, I was furious. How could they not - how could they not know? So you know what I did? I called them and I told them that this makes me feel bad.

"And you want to know what they did? They agreed that they would take it off their platform just so I could feel better.

"That's why I f*** with Netflix. Because they paid me my money, they do what they say they're going to do, and they went above and beyond what you could expect from a businessman.

"They did something just because they thought that I might think that they were wrong. And I do - I think that if you are f***ing streaming that show you're fencing stolen goods."

He goes on to say that he isn't going to his agents, he's going to his real boss - his fans.

He added: "I'm begging you - if you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, I'm begging you, please don't watch that show.

"I'm not asking you to boycott any network - boycott me. Boycott Chappelle's Show.

"Do not watch it unless they pay me."

Chappelle co-created, produced and starred in Chappelle's Show, which ran on Comedy Central between 2003-2006, but he has been in a deal with Netflix for the last four years for his popular stand-up specials.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Netflix was likely unaware if or how much Chappelle was being paid for streaming the show on the platform.

LADbible has contacted ViacomCBS for comment.

Topics: TV and Film, US Entertainment, Netflix

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. She spent a few years working on festivals and events before joining LADbible. In her spare time, Amelia likes music and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

@ameliasward