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(NewsNation<\/a>) \u2014 Comedian Dave Chappelle<\/a> is not happy about the way his jokes are being used.<\/p>\n In a recent interview on NPR\u2019s \u201cNewsmakers,\u201d Chappelle said he felt that his jokes about transgender people were \u201cmisrepresented\u201d by people, especially by the Republican Party.<\/p>\n \u201cI did resent that the Republican Party ran on transgender jokes. I felt like they were doing a weaponized version of what I was doing. That\u2019s not what I was doing,\u201d Chappelle said.<\/p>\n Chappelle was scheduled to perform at the First Avenue venue in Minneapolis in July 2022, but the show was canceled following backlash over his material. The performance was later moved to a nearby venue.<\/p>\n Los Angeles judge clears way for civil trial against Baldwin in \u2018Rust\u2019 case <\/a><\/p>\n First Avenue issued a statement<\/a> at the time apologizing for booking the show.<\/p>\n \u201cTo staff, artists, and our community, we hear you, and we are sorry,\u201d the statement said in part. \u201cWe know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls.\u201d<\/p>\n In his 2021 Netflix comedy special \u201cThe Closer,\u201d Chappelle described himself as \u201cTeam TERF,\u201d made comments about transgender women\u2019s anatomy and compared transgender women to white people wearing blackface, according to Time Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chappelle said the backlash surrounding the special became what he called a \u201cmedia phenomenon,\u201d accusing news outlets of \u201crage-baiting\u201d in their coverage.<\/p>\n \u201cThey almost reported on it as if I was doing something other than a comedy show,\u201d Chappelle told NPR. \u201cReading a joke is a lot different than sitting in a room and hearing it.\u201d<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/i><\/p>\n