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Dave Chappelle’s comedy show on Wednesday in Minneapolis has been switched to a different venue after the club faced criticism from the public for booking the comedian.
Chappelle’s performance was canceled and moved from First Avenue to a new location called Varsity Theater hours before the show was scheduled to take place.
Chappelle’s representatives did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry,” the venue wrote in a statement viaInstagram. “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.”
“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.”
In the statement, the club — which is located in the same city where multiple protests broke out following the 2020 murder ofGeorge Floyd— said they welcomed feedback for anyone who disagreed with their decision.
Varsity Theater, where Chappelle, 48, was already scheduled to perform on Thursday and Friday, confirmed it would also be hosting him on Wednesday via a statement onTwitter.
“Attention Dave Chappelle Fans! The show scheduled for tonight at First Ave has now been moved to Varsity Theater,” the establishment tweeted. “Your tickets from First Ave will be honored. Doors open at 8PM and we highly recommend arriving early. This event will be a phone-free experience.”
Chappelle has found himself embroiled in several controversies as of late.
Last year, he made several jokes thattargeted the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender people, inThe Closer, which premiered in October on Netflix. The streamerhas since faced mounting criticismfrom viewers and employees over providing a platform for anti-LGBTQ views.
“It was said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix, and I refused. That is not true,” he said in a videoposted to Instagram, which appeared to be taken during a stand-up comedy show.
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“If they invited me, I would have accepted it, although I’m confused about what we’re speaking about,” he continued. “I said what I said. And, boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. Well, it seems like I’m the only one that can’t go to the office anymore.”
Chappelle added that he doesn’t “blame” the LGBTQ community for the controversy, claiming that “it’s about corporate interest.”
“For the record, and I need you to know this. Everyone I know from that community has been nothing but loving and supporting,” he shared in part. “So I don’t know what all this nonsense is about.”
Police initially saidthat Lee would be charged with assault with a deadly weapon – he was allegedly carrying a “replica handgun-slash-knife” – which is a felony, but on May 5, a Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson issued a statement to PEOPLE saying, in part, that the office “has referred the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for misdemeanor filing consideration.”
Hours after the case was referred, L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuerannounced new chargesagainst Lee, including battery, possession of a weapon with the intent to assault, and charges relating to interfering with a performance.
Weeks later, Lee wascharged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his roommate in December. He pleaded not guilty and his attorney, Chelsea Padilla, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
