Dave Chappelle Declines Having His Name Attached To High School Amid Controversies

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle Declined Having His Name Attached To High School Amid Controversies 

Dave Chappelle has revealed that he will not consider the performing arts theater at his former high school to be named after him.

On Monday (June 21) comedian legend Dave Chappelle, 48, visited Washington, D.C for a dedication ceremony of his alma mater, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where he made his announcement. The event had been postponed since last November after students scrutinized Dave Chappelle for his Netflix special “The Closer” which featured numerous transphobic jokes.   

Dave Chappelle

According to reports, Chappelle was greeted by an awkward reception and was accused of being immature while endangering trans lives. During the ceremony, Chappelle admitted to the student body of 600 students that he was “hurt” by the backlash he received from his alma mater. In a recent interview, Chappelle described “The Closer” as a “masterpiece.”

Chappelle also talked about the students backlash:

“These kids didn’t understand that they were instruments of artistic oppression.”

The 48-year-old comedian continued:

“The more you say I can’t say something, the more urgent it is for me to say it.”

Chappelle said the auditorium will be called “Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression,” being that he decided they couldn’t feature his name. Chappelle has been listed as Duke Ellington’s most famous alumni student. During his career he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school. Chappelle has also connected the school with various actors and comedians.

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