By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Trace Lysette blasts Dave Chappelle's new transphobic comedy special
“I don’t know what doll hurt Dave Chappelle. I really don’t. But it’s giving disgruntled client.”
Damn, Dave, back at it again with the transphobia.
On Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, Dave Chappelle released his third comedy special on Netflix, The Dreamer, which is a follow-up to 2021’s The Closer and 2022’s What’s in a Name? And for the third consecutive time, the special includes heavy-handed commentary from Chapelle against trans people.
As audiences watched the comedy special and clocked that Chappelle was back at it with his transphobic antics, a few celebrities and media personalities went on social media to call him out. One of those celebrity voices was Independent Spirit Award-nominated actress Trace Lysette (Monica), who went on TikTok to share her hilarious and on-point reaction to The Dreamer. And let’s just say that the library is open, darling!
“So, at this point, it’s giving client,” Lysette says in the video. “I don’t know what doll hurt Dave Chappelle. I really don’t. But it’s giving disgruntled client. It’s giving angry trick. It’s giving… He wanted to kiss on the mouth and she was like, ‘No, I don’t do that. I up-charge for that. If you wanna do that, you gotta give me X, Y, Z.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, no, ma’am,’ and his ego was bruised, honey. So you went on a rampage. It’s giving angry trick. Am I lying? Dolls, am I lying?”
She adds, “Oh, my god. Who goes on to make three specials, three comedy specials, about the dolls? Because you can’t take. Get him some help.”
@tracelysette You aint fooling nobody Dave
All tea, no shade, Lysette makes a great point in the video. It’s giving weirdo behavior. It’s giving personal grievance. It’s giving, “Why are you so obsessed with us?”
On paper, The Dreamer is about Chappelle’s early Hollywood days. The special is supposed to be about how he came up in the industry and became a successful comedian. But he still found a way to somehow bring up trans people.
Only a few minutes into The Dreamer, Chappelle says that trans people “make him feel” like they’re method acting, comparing trans people in real life to actors bringing a character to life while filming a project. He goes on:
“If you guys came here to this show tonight thinking that I’m going to make fun of those people again, you’ve come to the wrong show. I’m not f*cking with those people anymore. It wasn’t worth the trouble. I ain’t saying sh*t about them. Maybe three or four times tonight, but that’s it. I’m tired of talking about them. And you want to know why I’m tired of talking about them? Because these people acted like I needed them to be funny. Well, that’s ridiculous. I don’t need you.”
Chappelle followed up those observations with, “Tonight I’m doing all handicapped jokes. They’re not as organized as the gays, and I love punching down.”
It’s wild that a man who was once a very universally beloved and popular comedian has turned to boring and unfunny jokes about the trans community that he keeps doubling down on for “shock factor” and social media outrage. Chappelle’s comedy was once much smarter and more irreverent than the cliche trans jokes he keeps bringing up, and it’s bizarre that these problematic “jokes” keep being platformed on Netflix.
It is 2024 now, and we would love to leave Dave Chappelle’s transphobic comedy in the past…
Monica is currently available via video-on-demand.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
