'Let Him Know': Michelle Buteau Tells Fans To Advise Dave Chappelle About Trans Jokes

Michelle Buteau's new special dropped on Netflix this Tuesday, and the comedienne had some good advice for her fellow comedian, Dave Chappelle.

Chappelle received backlash from the trans community about jokes he made in his 2023 Netflix special, "Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer."

Michelle Buteau doubled down on the criticism in her own Netflix special, "Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall."

Michelle Buteau Wants Dave Chappelle To 'Make It Funny'

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According to Variety, Buteau wants the comedian to "make it funny" when it comes to joking about the trans community.

In her Netflix special, "Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall," the 47-year-old comedienne criticized Chappelle for the way he jokes about trans people.

The "Survival of the Thickest" actress challenged her fans to let Chappelle know that he could be funny about the trans community without being disparaging.

“We can do that. We can make it funny,” Buteau said. “We just have to work at it, right? So, if you ever run into Dave Chappelle can you let him know that sh-t? I don’t think he knows that sh-t.”

Michelle Buteau's Netflix Special Dropped On Dec. 31

Buteau's special dropped on Netflix on New Year's Eve.

The comedienne gave Chappelle his props for being an iconic comedian by calling him "The GOAT (greatest of all time)" but she also roasted him for his transgender jokes and claimed for Chappelle, GOAT stood for “going off on trans people.”

She also chastised Chappelle for making trans people feel unsafe.

"I can’t believe somebody would make millions and millions of dollars for making people feel unsafe. That is so wild to me, truly,” said Buteau, per Variety. "I’m manifesting this sh-t tonight. This is a Radio City Music Hall takeover, and I’m gonna tell everybody I wanna make millions and millions of dollars for making people feel safe, seen, secure, heard and entertained."

'The Dreamer'

"Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer" also dropped on Netflix on New Year's Eve one year ago, and the comedian was widely criticized for the remarks he made about trans people during the special.

Chappelle made a trans joke while telling a story about him meeting comedian Jim Carrey on the set of the Andy Kaufman biopic, "Man in the Moon."

Carrey played the late comedian in the film, and according to Chappelle, Carrey was method acting he met with him on the set, and the actor stayed in character. The 51-year-old "Half Baked" star added that he was grateful to have witnessed Carrey's creative transformation, but it was "disappointing" at the time.

"In hindsight, how f-cking lucky am I? That I got to see one of the greatestartists of my time immersed in one ofhis most challenging processes ever? Verylucky to have seenthat, but as it washappening, it was very disappointing," said Chappelle.

"I wanted to meetJimCarrey and I had to pretend this n---a was Andy Kaufman," he continued. "Allafternoon, he was clearly Jim Carrey. Icould look at him and I could see he wasJimCarrey. Anyway, I say all that to say,that's how trans people make mefeel."

Chappelle Was Referencing Ongoing Controversy Stemming From His 2021 Comedy Special

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Chappelle was referencing the ongoing controversy between the comedian and the trans community, which stems from the transgender jokes he told during his 2021 comedy special, "The Closer." The comedian went on to say that he wouldn't tell any more trans jokes while doubling down on his brand of humor.

"I’m not f-cking with those people anymore," he joked. "It wasn’t worth the trouble. I ain’t saying sh-t about them. Maybe three or four times tonight, but that’s it. I’m tired of talking about them."

“To be honest with you, I’ve been trying to repair my relationship with the transgender community, 'cause I don’t want them to think that I don’t like them," he continued.

"You know how I’ve been repairing it? I wrote a play. I did. Cause I know that gays love plays," he joked."It’s a very sad play, but it’s moving. It’s about a Black transgender woman whose pronoun is, sadly, n----a. It’s a tear-jerker. At the end of the play she dies of loneliness cause white liberals don’t know how to speak to her. It’s sad."

Michelle Buteau Made History At Radio City Music Hall

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Buteau is the first woman to film a comedy special at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, according to USA Today.

The comedienne told the outlet that she wanted to make others felt “seen” with her Netflix special, including the LGBTQ community.

“I never asked my team, ‘Can I do this?’” said Buteau. “I was like, ‘How can you help me do this?’ I don’t want to hear ‘can’t.’ It’s insane. How do you exist as a Black, brown, queer, or fat person? You just do. Stop listening to people who want to keep you down."

Buteau also said in her special that Chappelle's way of joking is "dangerous."

“I’m not saying you can’t say things – I’m just saying, ‘Can you make it funny?’ Because it doesn’t feel funny," said Buteau. "You’re hurting people and you’re making it dangerous. And it’s not just Chappelle – it’s part of the culture that I don’t understand. When people say, ‘We can’t do what we used to do.’ Yeah! Slavery used to be legal, you guys. Sometimes we’ve got to move forward, and I’m sorry if it’s different, but wrap your little mind around it."