Netflix may have saved comedy from the woke mob.
Sound hyperbolic?
Consider how close the Cancel Culture crew came to throwing Dave Chappelle under the bus. The comedian’s 2021 special, “The Closer,” featured gags aimed at the trans community.
The Left declared war on Chappelle, as did the legacy media. The outcry came after George Floyd’s 2020 death, a moment when the woke mob reached its cultural peak.
Chappelle was the biggest name in stand-up at the time. If he went down, who would be next? More importantly, what comic wouldn’t censor his or her act to avoid a similar fate?
Netflix could have erased “The Closer” from its cyber lineup and attempted a “hostage-style” apology.
“We will be an ally moving forward … blah, blah blah.”
Nope.
“If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.” – Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said to angry staffers in response to the imbroglio.
Since then, Netflix has snagged deals with rebel comedians like Tim Dillon, Shane Gillis and Matt Rife.
Now, Netflix is getting in bed with the comedian who nearly sank Donald Trump’s presidential campaign late last year. That is, if the public still trusted the legacy media.
Tony Hinchcliffe’s raw comedy routine at Trump’s Oct. 27 Madison Square Garden rally hijacked the news cycle. He jokingly compared Puerto Rico to garbage, highlighting the country’s issues with trash management.
Legacy outlets pounced and seized on the quip, hoping it would alienate Trump from Hispanic voters.
It didn’t. Nor did Hinchcliffe’s career take a hit from the incident. He only got more famous.
Netflix just signed the comedian to a multi-pronged deal to introduce audiences to his “Kill Tony” podcast. The irreverent show sold out MSG, of all places, last year.
Still, many people remain unaware of “Kill Tony.” That’s about to change, according to Variety.
Three exclusive specials from Tony Hinchcliffe‘s live comedy show will launch on the streamer, with the first one, filmed at the Comedy Mothership in Austin, debuting April 7.
“Kill Tony” finds Hinchcliffe pulling names from a bucket and letting the “winners” tell jokes for one full minute. The show attracts professional comedians and amateurs alike, and anything goes when it comes to the gags in play.
Woke scolds aren’t invited. Hinchliffe hinted as much in his statement on the Netflix deal.
“It’s the most spontaneous and improvised show that is out there, and the creative freedom given to us by Netflix to keep the show in its pure form is a comedian’s dream and we can’t wait to Netflix and Kill.”
Don’t expect any Cancel Culture-style attempts to derail the deal. The woke Left stood down following Netflix’s robust defense of Chappelle.
Since then, we haven’t seen any significant attacks on Netflix programming.
The streaming giant has reaped the benefits of embracing free speech. Now, it’s showing once more that comedians are more than welcome on its platform.