Dave Chappelle‘s Minneapolis show was cancelled Wednesday just hours before he was set to perform.
Chappelle was set to take the stage at the city’s First Avenue venue in front of a sold-out crowd, when organizers pulled the plug due to backlash received about the comedian who was recently criticized for jokes in his Netflix special, The Closer, that were deemed transphobic
“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry,” the venue began in a statement shared to Instagram.
“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 statement reads. “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. We believe in diverse voices and the freedom of artistic expression, but in honoring that, we lost sight of the impact this would have.”
The venue invited people who disagree with the decision to send feedback and advised ticket holders that the show would be transferred to Minneapolis’ Varsity Theater.
Varsity Theater confirmed the news in a tweet, writing, “Attention Dave Chappelle Fans! The show scheduled for tonight at First Ave has now been moved to Varsity Theater. Your tickets from First Ave will be honored.”
Chappelle has two more shows scheduled for Thursday and Friday at Varsity.
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