Wil Wheaton has caused a stir, fanning the flames of the ongoing Dave Chapelle debate around the comedian’s history of transphobic comments. Wheaton did not pull any punches in a Facebook post which has since been removed, albeit he has since posted a follow-up. Chappelle has become a toxic topic in the comedy and pop culture sphere with the comedian really leaning into an edgy, libertine bad boy image.
This particular story kicked off when Dave Chapelle was announced as a headliner for the upcoming Netflix hosted comedy festival aptly called Netflix is a Joke. Wheaton was not a fan of this development. He called Chappelle a bigot and challenged Netflix’s decision-making to invite Chappelle back.
Wheaton’s post was an emotional one that displayed his frustration and concern with giving a continued spotlight to a man who has caused distress for an at-risk community like transgender and non-binary people.
Wheaton has mostly moved on from his acting days, with the former child star best known for roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story The Body which became Stand By Me. These days Wheaton is active as a writer and blogger, and is an activist.
After Wheaton’s initial post got flamed, he issued a follow-up post where he doubled-down and reaffirmed his views and gave further background to his beliefs, including a stark memory from a locker room when growing up.
The internet reaction has been mixed to say the least, and as usual for Dave Chappelle news, it’s a minefield to navigate. What is for certain, is the backlash Chappelle faces is growing, and unfortunately, these debates aren’t ending anytime soon.