Dave Chappelle was just a few hours away from performing in front of a sold-out crowd at First Avenue, but the Minneapolis event space canceled his show at the last minute.
Chappelle, one of the nation’s most popular comedians, has been targeted by a radical LGBT mob over the content of his Netflix program, “The Closer.”
“The Dave Chappelle show tonight at First Avenue has been cancelled and is moving to the Varsity Theater,” the announcement said.
“To staff, artists and our community, we hear you, and we are sorry. We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls.”
Fans were rightfully furious that the venue caved to a mob of pronoun confused transgender activists. But the owners held their ground.
“The First Avenue team and you have worked hard to make our venues the safest spaces in the country, and we will continue with that mission,” the statement continued. “We believe in diverse voices and the freedom of artistic expression, but in honoring that, we lost sight of the impact this would have. We know there are some who will not agree with this decision; you are welcome to send feedback.”
Well, it seems to me that the owners of First Avenue are either racists, heterophobic or just a bunch of spineless cowards. Or maybe they’re all of the above.
But most disappointing of all is that the LGBT crowd can’t seem to take a joke.
We hear you. Tonight’s show has been cancelled at First Avenue and is moving to the Varsity Theater. See our full statement for more. pic.twitter.com/tkf7rz0cc7
— First Avenue (@FirstAvenue) July 20, 2022