Less than a month after Netflix removed Dave Chappelleās Comedy Central series, Chappelleās Show, from the platform at the comedianās request, another streaming network has decided to follow suit. HBO exec Casey Bloys revealed to Variety that after having a dialogue with Chappelle, the decision has been reached to remove Chappelleās Show from HBO Max before the end of the year. āWe had a conversation with Dave. I wonāt get into it, but itās very clear that itās a very unique and specific and emotional issue heās got,ā Bloys said. āSo at the end of the year, at the end of this year, December 31, weāll also honor his request and take the show down.ā Stressing that itās āclearly an emotional issueā for Chappelle, Bloys added that if the network ācan do something that makes him feel better about it, then Iād like to do that.ā
In an Instagram video posted on November 24, Chappelle revealed that he had gotten Netflix to remove the series due to his frustrations regarding the original contract he signed for the show, which allegedly includes no payment for Chappelle when ViacomCBS licenses Chappelleās Show to streaming networks. āThey did something just because they thought that I might think that they were wrong. And I do,ā he said, regarding Netflixās decision to remove the show. āI think that if you are fucking streaming that show, youāre fencing stolen goods.ā
In the same video, Chappelle called out ViacomCBS (Comedy Centralās parent company) and HBO for continuing to make the show available to stream, singling out HBO in particular for passing on Chappelleās Show before it was ultimately green-lit by Comedy Central. āThey went too far. They said, literally, āWhat do we needĀ youĀ for?ā Thatās what they told me as they kicked me out of the office: āWhat do we needĀ youĀ for?āā Chappelle said, looking back on his Chappelleās Show HBO pitch meeting. āAnd here we are, all these years later, and theyāre streaming the very show that I was pitching to them. So Iām asking them: What do you needĀ meĀ for?ā
While Chappelleās Show will, as of now, still be available to stream on CBS All Access, Chappelle urged his fans in the November Instagram video to not support his show on streaming. āIām begging you: If you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, Iām begging you, please donāt watch that show,ā he said. āIām not asking you to boycott any network ā boycott me. BoycottĀ Chappelleās Show. Do not watch it unless they pay me.ā