Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Comedian Hannah Gadsby Says 'F**k You' To Netflix For Using Her To Defend Dave Chappelle's Transphobia

Comedian Hannah Gadsby Says 'F**k You' To Netflix For Using Her To Defend Dave Chappelle's Transphobia
Don Arnold/WireImage/Getty Images
Make us preferred on Google

Amid the furor over Dave Chappelle's new Netflix comedy special The Closer—which contains a litany of jokes that have struck many as transphobic—Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos took the situation from bad to worse last week by defending the special in a now infamous memo to his employees.

Comedian Hannah Gadsby—herself a veteran of comedy specials for the streaming network—is absolutely not having it.


In a post on Instagram, Gadsby lambasted Sarandos—even going so far as to issue her former boss a "F**k You" for his tone-deaf response to the criticism.

See her post below.

Gadsby's response comes after Sarandos cited her as an example of Netflix's commitment to LGBTQ inclusivity in his response to the Chappelle controversy.

His statement read in part:

"We are working hard to ensure marginalized communities aren't defined by a single story. So we have Sex Education, Orange is the New Black, Control Z, Hannah Gadsby and Dave Chappelle all on Netflix. Key to this is increasing diversity on the content team itself."

Maddeningly, he justified his decision not to remove the special from the platform saying:

"While some employees disagree, we have a strong belief that content on screen doesn't directly translate to real-world harm."
That statement struck many as absurd.
And it infuriated LGBTQ people and allies, given LGBTQ people in general are at the center of a surge in hate crimes shaping up to make 2021 the worst year on record for murders of transgender people—mostly trans women of color.

In her Instagram post, Gadsby made it clear she did not appreciate being used as a prop for his attempt to save face.

"Hey Ted Sarandos! Just a quick note to let you know that I would prefer if you didn't drag my name into your mess."
"You didn't pay me nearly enough to deal with the real world consequences of the hate speech dog whistling you refuse to acknowledge, Ted."
F**k you and your amoral algorithm cult … I do shits with more back bone than you."
"That's just a joke! I definitely didn't cross a line because you just told the world there isn't one."

On Twitter, many people applauded Gadsby for so bluntly speaking truth to power.











Gadsby's two critically acclaimed Netflix specials, Nanette and Douglas, are among the streamer's most celebrated comedy releases.

Gadsby won an Emmy for the former in 2019.

More from News/lgbtq

'The Craft' cast, including Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Rachel True and Neve Campbell
Columbia Pictures/Getty Images

'The Craft' Star Speaks Out After New Bratz Dolls Were Sent To Influencers But Not Original Cast

Bratz enthusiasts have a lot to be excited about right now, as a new collection of the dolls have rolled out, this time inspired specifically by the original cast of the 1996 horror film The Craft, from which Bratz dolls came to be.

But just because it's an exciting campaign doesn't mean it's perfect.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trick-or-treating
The Boston Globe/Getty Images

HOA Sparks Debate After Sending Letter Telling People Not To Hand Out Full-Size Candy Bars On Halloween

Within our communities, it's important to make everyone feel welcome and included, and sometimes that means making changes so that everyone can afford to be included. But sometimes changes are made simply because someone with the power to change it doesn't want to do something.

The question is whether changes are being made for inclusivity or convenience.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @serena_loscalzo's TikTok
@serena_loscalzo/TikTok

College President Goes Above And Beyond To Help Student Prank Her Chronically Oversleeping Roommate

University of Vermont President Marlene Tromp and UVM student Hannah Lapier have gone viral after their fabulous wake-up call—and fortunately not the negative, reality-check kind!

Lapier opened up to her roommate, Serena LoScalzo, about struggling to get out of bed in the morning for her classes. Lapier prompted her friend to use any means necessary to help her make it to her morning classes on time, because she wanted to take school seriously.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @itsvictoriavega's TikTok
@itsvictoriavega/TikTok

Woman Sounds Off About 'Worst First Date Of My Life' After Guy Made Truly Unhinged Request

There are bad first dates, there are the worst first dates ever, and then there are the dates that are so terrible, you can't help but wonder how they occurred in the first place.

TikToker Victoria Vega, for example, went on a first date with a guy after what she thought was a promising start, but when she actually went on the date, it was nothing like she'd expected. In fact, she called it the worst first date of her life.

Keep ReadingShow less
TikToker Kae; Walmart storefront
@lolxdlolxdlolxd23455/TikTok; Douglas Rissing/Getty Images

Fired TikToker Shares Bonkers Behind-The-Scene Stories About What It Was Like Working At Walmart

Whether or not we've ever worked there, we've all heard horror stories and seen internet memes about "people at Walmart" and the weird things that often happen within the oversized chain convenience store.

TikToker Kae, or @lolxdlolxdlolxd23455 on the platform, worked at Walmart for more than six months and ultimately was fired because he'd accidentally logged his PTO time incorrectly and also requested multiple days off,—but he'd intended to quit anyway given his unpleasant time working there.

Keep ReadingShow less