Dave Chappelle’s new Netflix special, “Sticks and Stones,” has been receiving backlash due to the controversial jokes the comedian has made. The title is based off the saying, “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” In the special, Chappelle made jokes about the victims that spoke up about Michael Jackson, and took a jab at the #MeToo movement, as well as the LGBT community. The comedian even stated that he is aware the jokes being made are considered “wrong,” but he won’t apologize. Chappelle stated, “You clicked on my face, didn’t you?” implying that the viewer knew what they were getting into and shouldn’t get upset.

The special begins with him saying that it’s the worst time to be a celebrity, since everyone seems to be on a “celebrity hunt.” His raunchy routine pokes at rape/child molestation victims when he starts talking about Michael Jackson and the two who accused him in “Finding Neverland”,  even throwing Macaulay Culkin’s name into the mix.

He also mentions the LGBT community, or as he said “the alphabet people.” He compares them to passengers in the car. When it gets to the T in the acronym (representing transgender individuals), he compares it to him no longer feeling black which makes it seem not as big as it is.

As he’s making these controversial jokes, the audience seems to adore it. If you go online you’ll find many mixed reviews. Some find him daring and bold while others find this rude and uncalled for, which is normal since many people’s views can vary. Personally, I don’t mind “wrong” jokes, sometimes I can find them funny, if they’re actually funny. Being one of those “alphabet people,” I didn’t even smirk. The jokes he used were ones that were over used by transphobes, which I’ve heard many times. Same with the other jokes. Many of the jokes he made were things you could easily log into twitter and find without having to dive deep. I feel this only got as much attention as it did, simply because someone famous was finally bold enough to say these on stage. This special isn’t that special, and it’s something I wouldn’t recommend.