Dave Chappelle has become a cultural lightning rod since the debut of his controversial Netflix special “The Closer.” The concert has created friction with certain segments of society, not the least of which is with his high school alma mater in Washington, D.C.
After a sizable number of students at the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts opposed Chappelle’s participation in the fundraiser to build a theater in Chappelle’s name, the superstar began his own campaign to raise the funds.
There’s an interesting twist to Chappelle’s fundraiser: the 48-year-old legend is asking folks to donate money to the school if they oppose or support the renaming of the theater.
“Talk is cheap (unless I do it),” Chappelle wrote in an Instagram post for his 2.5 million followers.
The post comes a week after he visited his school to speak to the students and provide them with a forum to express their views about “The Closer.”
Some students at the school, where Chappelle earned his high school diploma in 1991, pledged to stage a walkout after the school announced plans to rename its theater after him. Some pop culture critics and members of the LBGTQ+ community lambasted the concert as transphobic.
Chappelle reminded the public that it was the school’s founder, Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who made the suggestion to name the school’s theater after him.
“In April, I intend to honor that request,” Chappelle wrote on IG. “If you object to my receiving this honor, I urge you to donate to the school noting your objection. If you are in favor of the theater being named ‘Chappelle,’ I urge you to donate to the school, noting your approval.”
Chappelle then added: “Whichever opinion donates the highest collective dollar amount, wins.”
