Despite staff outcry, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said he would order Dave Chappelle specials "again and again."

At The New York Times' DealBook Summit on Wednesday, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that the business would purchase Dave Chappelle's comedy specials "again and again." Employees criticised Chappelle's last comedy special, The Closer, for being transphobic.

The Closer - Dave Chapelle

The Closer was purchased by Netflix for $24.1 million and debuted on the platform last year. Despite the fact that Chappelle's gags regarding the LGBTQ+ community made many staff members uncomfortable, Netflix stuck by it. As a result, a handful of workers protested and publicly criticised Netflix's decision to host the programme on the site. Netflix, on the other hand, retaliated by suspending three trans employees, two of whom resigned and a third, B. Pagels-Minor, was dismissed on allegations that they disclosed secret information.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said at the time that the site did not accept movies "that are meant to inspire hatred or violence," but that "The Closer" does not exceed that line. Sarandos subsequently retracted his comments, saying he "screwed up." According to reports, Netflix gave recruiters talking notes on how to avoid talks about The Closer with prospective workers in January.