Netflix Takes Down ‘Chappelle’s Show’ After Dave Chappelle Begs Fans Not To Watch

After comedian Dave Chappelle called for fans to boycott Netflix until he received payment for the 2003 sketch comedy Chappelle’s Show, the streaming service took down the program.

The comedian took to Instagram to plead to fans to not watch his sketch series that had just been released on Netflix. The first three seasons of the hit comedy show were made available on November 1 after ViacomCBS, the rights holder, had licensed the property to Netflix and HBOMax without Chappelle’s permission or offering the comedian payment.

At the end of one of the stand-up routines he uploaded on his social media, Chappelle claimed he had not been paid for the latest release of his groundbreaking sketch series, asking fans to “fight” on his behalf. In the video, Chappelle addressed the audience, saying, “I’m begging you, if you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, I’m begging you, please don’t watch that show. I’m not asking you to boycott any network. Boycott me. Boycott Chappelle’s Show. Do not watch it unless they pay me.”

Chappelle has had a long-standing feud with ViacomCBS since initially signing his contract to host a show at Comedy Central at the age of 28. On social media posts, the comedian said that they took advantage of his destitute financial state at the time and, although admitting that their licensure of the series was legal, that it was not “right.”

Chappelle’s show was penned by both himself and Neal Brennan, with the duo making the sketch comedy Comedy Central’s most-watched show. On The Oprah Winfrey Show, the comedian said a combination of burnout and lack of creative control led to his quitting of the show and hiatus from the public life for nearly a decade.