A concert venue in Minneapolis decided to cancel a live show where comedian Dave Chappelle was set to perform, just hours before the show was scheduled to begin.
As NPR reported, the comedian has been criticized in recent years for his repeated jokes about the LGBTQ community, and specifically about his experiences and thoughts regarding transgender people. One of the latest high-profile examples was during the weeks of controversy surrounding his Netflix special called "The Closer."
The BBC pointed out that in that special, Chappelle said, "Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. This is a fact."
The Minneapolis venue, called First Avenue, apologized for booking Chappelle and informed ticket holders that the show would move to another venue in town.
"To staff, artists and our community, we hear you and we are sorry," the venue said in a statement. "We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down ... The First Avenue team and you have worked hard to make our venues the safest space in the country, and we will continue with that mission."
We hear you. Tonight’s show has been cancelled at First Avenue and is moving to the Varsity Theater. See our full statement for more. pic.twitter.com/tkf7rz0cc7
— First Avenue (@FirstAvenue) July 20, 2022
As the BBC reported, even though the show was sold out, it was moved to the city's Varsity Theater, about a 40-minute walk away from the original Minneapolis venue.
