Classic sketch comedy series Chapelle’s Show is back on Netflix after the streamer removed it in November at the request of creator Dave Chapelle. The comedian broke the news while performing at Stubbs in Austin, a snippet he shared on his Instagram. In the NSFW clip, spotted by Variety, Chappelle thanks Netflix chief Ted Sarandos for sticking with him and discusses his troubled relationship with Comedy Central that led to the removal.
The stand-up comic has routinely claimed that his contract with Comedy Central owner ViacomCBS allowed the company to license the series without his approval, which in turn prevented him from receiving royalties for the show. Why does that matter for a successful comic and actor with a comfortable Netflix appearance? Well, those royalty checks add up over time, especially for a canonical comedy that can be watched repeatedly Chapelle’s Show
“This is a very important moment,” said Chappelle in the new video. “I want to thank Ted Sarandos at Netflix, a CEO with the courage to take my show off its platform [at] financial damage to his company just because I asked him. He goes on to talk about the power of his fans to make the show “worthless” by simply not watching it.
The move seems to have worked, as Chappelle argues that ViacomCBS “made up for the past” and “did something really brave”. He adds, “After all these years, I can finally say that Comedy Central was a pleasure to do business with you.”