AUSTIN, Texas — Dave Chappelle announced late Thursday that “Chapelle’s Show” is returning to Netflix on Friday, Feb. 12.
The show has since appeared among Netflix's slate of programs.
Chappelle’s beloved sketch series, which originally aired on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2006, was removed from Netflix at the request of the comedian in November.
At issue was a contract that Chappelle signed with Comedy Central and its parent company ViacomCBS, which the comedian claims prevented him from receiving royalties for his series and allowed the company to license the show without his consent, Entertainment Weekly and Variety report.
Thursday night, Chappelle posted an Instagram videoof a set called “Redemption Song,” in which he said the issue has been resolved.
Towards the end of his set at the venue Stubbs in Austin, Chappelle explained that he went to his “real boss” and asked his fans to stop watching the show on Netflix, because he knows where his power lies. That’s when he says the company called him to renegotiate.
“I asked you to stop watching the show and thank God almighty for you, you did. You made that show worthless, because without your eyes, it’s nothing,” said Chappelle. “And when you stopped watching it, they called me and I got my name back, and I got my license back, and I got my show back, and they paid me millions of dollars."
Chappelle also took the opportunity to thank the executives who helped make the move happen.
“I want to thank Ted Sarandos at Netflix, who had the courage to take my show off his platform at financial detriment to his company, just because I asked him,” he said. “And I want to thank Chris McCarthy of CBS Viacom. This guy is younger than me. And like most people younger than me, has an interest in making the past right, and did something that was very courageous. And finally, after all these years, I can finally say to Comedy Central, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
During his set, Chappelle also discussed testing positive for the coronavirus.
“There was a faction of people, the cowards, who said, ‘you see that Dave Chappelle, that’s why we stay inside where it’s safe, and we never try anything.’ Well, enjoy yourselves, mother f*****, because I’m better now,” Chappelle said.
He also touched on the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
“Watch that crowd that told Colin Kaepernick he can't kneel during a football game try to beat a police officer to death with an American flag,” said Chappelle. “They carried a Confederate flag through the rotunda. The Confederate army didn't even do that.”
He closed his set by saying “cheers to you forever,” and said he’s riding with his fans “until the wheels fall off.”
