The Chappelle Show is no longer available on Netflix following Dave Chappelle’s request that the streaming service removes it. The decision comes after Chappelle revealed in a lengthy Instagram video that ViacomCBS never paid him for licensing the content to Netflix.
“They (ViacomCBS) didn’t have to pay me because I signed the contract,” Chappelle says in the video. “But is that right? I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me. Perfectly legal ‘cause I signed the contract. But is that right? I didn’t think so either. That’s why I like working for Netflix. I like working for Netflix because when all those bad things happened to me, that company didn’t even exist. And when I found out they were streaming ‘Chappelle’s Show,’ I was furious. How could they not– how could they not know? So you know what I did? I called them and I told them that this makes me feel bad. And you want to know what they did? They agreed that they would take it off their platform just so I could feel better.”
The show was only streaming for three weeks prior to its removal. Chappelle also called out Netflix and HBO Max while hosting Saturday Night Live for having the show available for subscribers.
It is still available on many ViacomCBS brands, including Comedy Central (where it originally aired) and CBS All Access. ViacomCBS also licensed it to WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, where it also streams.
Chappelle’s relationship with Netflix has been building for quite some time as the comedian has several stand up specials on the streaming platform that debuted following his unprecedented deals.
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