Netflix Fires Employee For Leaking Confidential Information About Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’

Netflix Fires Employee For Leaking Confidential Information About Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’

The controversy caused by Dave Chappelle‘s The Closer continues to impact Netflix!

As previously reported, Dave Chappelle‘s latest stand-up special–The Closer–premiered on Netflix earlier this month. Since the special’s release, Dave Chappelle has been embroiled in controversy and slammed as transphobic by many. This sentiment was brought about by various comments in The Closer–including a moment where Chappelle refers to himself as a trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF), or someone who doesn’t believe trans women are “real” women:

“I’m team TERF! 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. That is a fact. Now, I am not saying that to say trans women aren’t women, I am just saying that those p*ssies that they got… you know what I mean? I’m not saying it’s not p*ssy, but it’s Beyond P*ssy or Impossible P*ssy. It tastes like p*ssy, but that’s not quite what it is, is it? That’s not blood, that’s beet juice.”

Since the special aired, various advocacy groups have called on Netflix to pull The Closer from its platform. However, Tom Sarandos–Netflix’s co-CEO–has continually expressed support for Chappelle in the face of the controversy. He stated recently:

“Chappelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long standing deal with him… Stand-up comedy exists to push boundaries. Some people find the art of stand-up to be mean-spirited but our members enjoy it, and it’s an important part of our content offering.”

Less than a week later, the co-CEO issued another statement in support of Dave Chappelle:

“Content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm. The strongest evidence to support this is that violence on screens has grown hugely over the last thirty years, especially with first party shooter games, and yet violent crime has fallen significantly in many countries. Adults can watch violence, assault and abuse–or enjoy shocking stand-up comedy–without it causing them to harm others.”

Dave Chappelle

This second statement was reportedly in response to nearly 1,000 Netflix employees gearing up for a virtual walkout in protest of the company’s stance on The Closer.

Now, the internal controversy is continuing to go strong behind the streaming giant’s walls. According to recent reports, a Netflix employee leaked “confidential, commercially sensitive information” about the special to a publication last week. Specifically, the employee revealed the amount of money Netflix spent on The Closer in comparison to the company’s biggest debut hit, Squid Game. According to the report, Netflix spent $24.1 million on The Closer, while Squid Game cost the company $21.4 million.

In response, Netflix checked its access logs and pinpointed the person who externally shared the classified information. Reportedly, the employee was also involved in planning the aforementioned virtual walkout, and Netflix ultimately fired the individual. In a statement on the matter, a spokesperson for the streaming giant commented:

“We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company.”

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