Outstanding: An LGBTQ+ celebration hit Netflix on Thursday. In it, comedian Billy Eichner – who served as the event’s host – mentioned the streaming platform’s support for Dave Chappelle, his own Netflix special The nearer has been widely criticized as transphobic content.
First, Eichner made a cursory reference to the Hollywood Bowl incident involving the comedian, who was assaulted at the venue last month.
“Let’s face it, nobody knows what’s going to happen tonight,” he said in the new special. “Comedy is a very violent place these days, okay? There are comedians who get attacked at the Oscars, there are comedians who get attacked at the Hollywood Bowl. But we are the LGBTQ community. We’re sophisticated, we’re chic, and most of all, we’re this nonsense, right? So let’s hold ourselves to a higher standard, please. Please, no one jumps on stage and tries to bodyslam Lily Tomlin.”
Moments later, Eichner struck a serious note as he addressed the litany of politically motivated attacks being waged against the LGBTQ community in the United States
“Tonight is about laughter and strange joy, but we have to acknowledge the reality of the moment,” he said. “We all know how backward and dangerous the Don’t Say Gay laws are. Queer people, and trans people in particular, are under attack from legislation in this country. Trans people are demeaned, they try to dehumanize trans people, they try to wipe out trans people. And I’m not even talking about Florida, I’m talking about Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix special!”
Amid the audience reaction, Eichner joked that he didn’t have “Jamie Foxx in defense,” he had “Rosie O’Donnell and the entire Gay Men’s Chorus.”
Mae Martin also appeared in the special, per diversityand mentioned Chappelle (alongside Ricky Gervais and Louis CK) during her joke about consumption Beauty and the Beast as a sort of explainer for those who intentionally fail to grasp the spectrum of gender identity.
Outstanding: An LGBTQ+ celebration– which filmed last month at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and which also stars Eddie Izzard, Margaret Cho, Tig Notaro, Wanda Sykes and more – is available now.
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