Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defends Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais in a controversy over transphobia jokes

Netflix’s head is still behind the company’s two most popular comedians.

In an interview with New York TimesStreamer Co-CEO Ted Salandos defended Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, who have been criticized for transphobic jokes in stand-up specials.

Read more: Ricky Gervais’s new controversial stand-up special mocking Transpeople and Eddie Izzard

Executives said they were surprised by the backlash against Chapel’s specials, but said they had no problem supporting comedians.

He explained that the comedian “understands where the good taste lines are by occasionally crossing the lines.” I think free expression is generally very important to American culture. “

Salands continues. “We are programming for many different people with different opinions, different tastes and different styles, but still we are not making everything for everyone. We want something for everyone, but not everything is for everyone. “

He added that it was “not so difficult” to support Chapel in the dispute. And you rarely get the chance to test your principles. As with Dave, it was an opportunity to take someone of our generation of comedians and Netflix’s most popular comedians. No one would say that what he is doing is neither thoughtful nor wise. You disagree with him. “

Read more: Ricky Gervais defends the controversial Netflix special in the backlash: “Comedy is about overcoming taboo themes, so it’s not scary anymore.”

Mr. Salands asked how he feels blessed by US conservatives about his attitude towards this issue. “It was an interesting time to live because it used to be a very liberal issue … I always said how to protect content in the Middle East if we censored in the United States. “

Jarveys’ special, which debuted on Netflix earlier this week, has also been criticized in jokes about transgender women, and Salands said his words about chapel also apply to the creators of the “office.”