Netflix Drops Teaser for Dave Chappelle New Year’s Eve Special
Netflix has dropped a teaser for Dave Chappelle’s upcoming New Year’s Eve special, Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer.
The first look is narrated by Morgan Freeman, who asks, “What do you dream about? Not the dreams you have in your sleep, the ones you hold in your heart. Don’t be intimidated by the audacity of your dream — be inspired by it.”
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The teaser then cuts to Freeman sitting next to Chappelle. As the pair watch the special, Freeman says, “What happens to a dream deferred? Lucky for Dave, he doesn’t know.”
The Dreamer was shot in Chappelle’s hometown of Washington, DC at the historic Lincoln Theatre and was directed by Emmy Award winner Stan Lathan, who has helmed all seven of Chappelle’s specials for the streaming giant.
The Dreamer follows Chappelle’s last special, The Closer, which debuted on Netflix on Oct. 5, 2021. The special was nominated for two Emmys but quickly sparked backlash when elements of the hourlong comedy show were criticized for being transphobic and homophobic.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos stood by the special and said he would not be pulling it from the platform, despite the backlash, which sparked a virtual walkout from hundreds of Netflix employees. Sarandos ultimately said the special was in line with the streamer’s stance toward “artistic expression” and told THR he didn’t think it was “appropriate” to add any disclaimer at the top of the special.
At the time, The Closer was billed as the last of a six-special package of Chappelle content for the streamer. Shortly after, in early 2022, Netflix announced it was staying in business with Chappelle when it set four additional comedy specials with the comic focusing on other veteran comedians.
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