Dave Chappelle’s alma mater, The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., has put the brakes on renaming its theater after the comedian, the institution announced Friday.
The school cited concerns over Chappelle’s Netflix special “The Closer,” which elicited controversy for his comments about the LGBTQ+ community and transgender people. In the weeks following the standup special’s Oct. 5 debut, Chappelle drew criticism from LGBTQ activists and Netflix employees, leading to virtual and in-person protests in front of Netflix’s offices in Los Angeles.
The school will proceed with renaming festivities on April 22.
In the statement, Chappelle’s alma mater acknowledged “questions and concerns” from the school’s community, including its students.