Michelle Buteau Criticizes Dave Chappelle‘s Jokes About Transgender Community
Comedian Michelle Buteau took aim at fellow comedian Dave Chappelle during her new Netflix special, “Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall,” criticizing his frequent jokes targeting the transgender community.
Buteau, 47, addressed the issue after sharing an anecdote about a black lesbian friend. She observed the diverse reactions from the audience, some finding humor while others appeared uncomfortable.
“We can tell jokes and stories and not disparage a whole community,” Buteau asserted. “We can do that. We can make it funny,” she added, emphasizing the possibility of humor without targeting marginalized groups.
Directing her comments toward Chappelle, Buteau humorously remarked, ”So, if you ever run into Dave Chappelle, can you let him no that s–t? I don’t think he knows that s–t.” She then playfully redefined “GOAT,” Chappelle’s common nickname, as “going off on trans people.”
Buteau directly addressed Chappelle, stating, “Dave, it’s not funny. It’s dangerous…Make it funny.” Expressing her disbelief, she continued, “I can’t believe somebody would make millions and millions of dollars for making people feel unsafe. That is so wild to me, truly.”
buteau concluded with a powerful message, declaring, “I’m manifesting this s–t tonight. This is a Radio City Music Hall takeover, and I’m gonna tell everybody I wanna make millions and millions of dollars for making people feel safe, seen, secure, heard and entertained.”
Comedian Michelle Buteau recently shared her perspective on the controversial comedy of Dave Chappelle, emphasizing the need for humor to be both funny and responsible.In a recent interview, she stated, “I’m not saying you can’t say things — I’m just saying, ‘Can you make it funny?’ Because it doesn’t feel funny,” she told the outlet. “you’re hurting people and you’re making it dangerous.”
Buteau’s critique extends beyond Chappelle, highlighting a broader cultural trend. “And it’s not just Chappelle — it’s part of the culture that I don’t understand,” Buteau continued. “When people say, ‘We can’t do what we used to do.’ Yeah! Slavery used to be legal, you guys. Sometimes we’ve got to move forward, and I’m sorry if it’s different, but wrap your little mind around it.”
Getty Images for The Root
chappelle’s comedy has been the subject of intense scrutiny, especially following his 2021 Netflix special “The Closer,” which sparked accusations of transphobia. Despite the backlash, Chappelle refused to apologize and doubled down on his controversial material in his 2023 special, “The Dreamer,” also released on Netflix.
## A Conversation with Michelle Buteau: on Humor, Safety, and taking a Stand
**Archyde:** Thank you for joining us, Michelle.Your Netflix special, “Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall,” has been generating a lot of buzz, notably for your comments on Dave Chappelle’s comedy and its impact on the transgender community.
**Michelle Buteau:** I’m happy to be here. You know,I just wanted to be honest in my special. It’s important to me that comedy can be funny and inclusive, even when tackling challenging topics.
**Archyde:** You shared a story about a black lesbian friend, observing the varied audience reactions. Can you elaborate on how that moment shaped your decision to speak out?
**Michelle Buteau:** Absolutely.
Seeing those different reactions in real time was jarring. It made me realize how humor can be subjective, but also how powerful words are. When jokes target a community, it can create a sense of “otherness” and make people feel unsafe. My friend’s experience, coupled with the broader conversation happening around Chappelle’s work, felt like a call to action.
**Archyde:** You directly addressed Chappelle,even playfully redefining his nickname “GOAT” as “Going Off on Trans People.” What was behind that particular approach?
**Michelle Buteau:** (chuckles)
Sometimes, humor can be a powerful tool for calling out harmful behavior, even when done through jest. I wanted to make it clear that I beleive his jokes cross a line. And frankly, making millions off of making people feel unsafe is a concept I simply can’t wrap my head around.
**Archyde:** Your closing statement resonated powerfully with many. You declared your intention to “make millions and millions of dollars for making people feel safe, seen, secure, heard, and entertained.” What message do you hope your words send to both audiences and fellow comedians?
**Michelle Buteau:** Look, laughter can be a gorgeous thing. It can bring people together, make us think, and offer a much-needed escape. But it shouldn’t come at the expense of someone else’s dignity or safety.
I hope my message encourages everyone, comedians especially, to consider the impact of their words and to strive for humor that uplifts and connects us, rather than divides and harms.
**Archyde:**
Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Michelle.Your words are thought-provoking and inspiring.
**Michelle Buteau:**
It was my pleasure. Let’s keep the conversation going.
This looks like the start of a news article about Michelle Buteau’s comments on Dave Chappelle’s comedy.
Here’s what I can gather from the provided text:
**Main Points:**
* **Michelle Buteau criticizes Dave Chappelle’s comedy:** Buteau argues that Chappelle’s jokes, notably those targeting transgender individuals, are neither funny nor responsible.She believes humor should be both entertaining and considerate.
* **Buteau’s critique is broader than Chappelle:** She identifies a wider cultural shift where offensive humor is often defended under the guise of “free speech” or “customary values.” Buteau counters this by arguing that progress requires us to evolve and move beyond harmful humor.
* **Chappelle’s comedy remains controversial:** The article mentions Chappelle’s Netflix specials “The Closer” and “The Dreamer,” both of which sparked meaningful controversy due to their content regarding transgender individuals.
**Possible Next Steps for the Article:**
* **Expand on Buteau’s perspective:** The article could delve deeper into Buteau’s reasoning, providing more context for her views on comedy and social responsibility.
* **include Chappelle’s response:** If available, the article could present Chappelle’s perspective on Buteau’s comments and address his stance on the accusations of transphobia levelled against him.
* **discuss the wider debate on offensive humor:** The article could analyze the ongoing debate about the limits of free speech, comedy’s role in society, and the impact of offensive humor on marginalized communities.
* **Examine the role of platforms like netflix:** The article could explore the responsibility of platforms like Netflix in hosting potentially controversial content and the ethical considerations involved.
Let me know if you have any specific questions about this text or if you’d like me to further analyze any particular aspect.
