Netflix employees have come together, with over 1,000 planning to walk out over the company’s defense of hate speech on the platform. After a comedian went on a bigoted tirade that, if about any other group, Netflix would have promptly banned it, Netflix claimed that it didn’t break their rules against bigotry, hate speech, and invoking violence. They also claimed that they didn’t believe what happens on a screen could affect real-world events, despite previously leading to a dramatic uptick in teen suicides after they released 13 Reasons Why. When Netflix realized they were contributing to an increase in teen suicide, because of their on-screen show, they started featuring content warnings before every episode. Netflix has refused to edit, change, or remove Dave Chappelle’s hateful tirade against transgender and gay people.
Both Netflix and Dave Chappelle know that shows and comedy have real world effects. They just don’t care. Netflix has already sunk a lot of money into this, and they’re hoping the controversy can give them some return on their investment.
Because it turns out Dave Chappelle specials lose the company significant money.
We know this now thanks to a leaked report showing that the specials cost as much as $24.1 million, but do not generate anywhere near that. At this point, Netflix is holding on to a sinking ship, hoping to stay dry a little longer.
Netflix claims the employee who shared that information happens to be the same person who organized the planned October 20th walkout. The employee is a Black pregnant person, leading to questions of a disproportionate response due to race and gender identity.
A Stirring Show of Support
“TERF” is a term specifically for people who hate transgender people. When Dave Chappelle declared himself a member of “team TERF,” it’s the equivalent of a racist saying they’re “Team KKK” or an antisemitic person joining “Team Nazi.” Of course, they mostly just go by “Proud Boi” or 2.999%–er,” or something like that instead these days. Perhaps that would be enough to trick out of touch co-CEOs at Netflix. Despite Chappelle’s affiliation with “Team TERF,” and far worse hate speech, Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos claimed the speech didn’t cross the company’s “line on hate.”
Hate watch groups, as well as Netflix employees, disagree. Just because the co-CEO is okay with transphobic hate speech doesn’t mean the rest of the company will make an exception for it.
In the wake of the co-CEO’s outlandish remarks, over 1,000 employees have pledged to join the walkout on October 20th. Many others may join as well.
Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos claims that, “we have a strong belief that content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm.” However, Netflix put its foot down before, banning hate speech and bigotry on the platform. The statement is also an outright lie. When Netflix’s show 13 Reasons Why lead to more teen suicides, Netflix took action, realizing that content on the screen directly translates to real-world harm. In fact, studies on the subject show that hate speech isn’t just the precursor to hate-based violence, it’s often the cause. Hate speech is made to dehumanize for the very specific purpose of lowering hesitation to cause harm to certain groups of people.
The fact of the matter is, Netflix has banned hate speech and bigotry, but they don’t believe hate speech and bigotry towards trans people breaks that rule. Clearly, there’s a disconnect between those making the decisions, and those actually making the service.
Massive Losses
According to a report in Bloomberg, Dave Chappelle’s specials have been incredibly expensive. His last special cost Netflix $23.6 million. However, by Netflix’s calculations, it’s “impact value,” the revenue it contributed to at the company, it brought in only $19.4 million. Netflix rates these in terms of money made to lost. 1.0 would be breaking even. Chappelle’s last special received a score of 0.8. Netflix is losing money on Chappelle specials. This latest one was the most expensive, costing Netflix $24.1 million. It’s not sure how much they’ll lose on it, or if the controversy surrounding it could save the network.
In comparison, Squid Game, Netflix’s best debut in company history, a 9 episode show, cost $21.4 million. Bo Burnham’s incredibly popular special cost $3.9 million, and brought in nearly three times that. Netflix’s rating for Burnham’s “Inside” special was 2.8.
Chappelle isn’t just costing Netflix loyalty within their company and customers, he’s also costing them millions of dollars to spread hate. Netflix is leaning into a sunk cost fallacy, hoping that holding out will do less damage than cutting ties with Chappelle.
Netflix Fires Alleged Leaker
How did Bloomberg get this information? Netflix claims it was one employee who leaked it. Due to the rampant harassment from Chappelle fans, the employee wishes to remain anonymous. They are a Black pregnant person, and lead the organization efforts for the transgender employee and ally walkout on October 20th. Netflix claims they have reason to believe this person leaked company information, even stating they confessed, however, according to The Verge, the fired employee only shared the information internally, and asked people not to leak it, as it could hurt their movement.
“All these white people are going around talking to the press and speaking publicly on Twitter and the only person who gets fired is the Black person who was quiet the entire time. That’s absurd, and just further shows that Black trans people are the ones being targeted in this conversation.”
– A former Netflix employee, speaking anonymously to The Verge
Netflix has now carried out potential retaliation against at least 4 employees, though three have been allowed to continue working at the company. It seems clear they’re trying to keep employees quiet about their concerns about supporting and spreading hate on their platform.
Is Netflix to become the Parler of streaming? Is that the brand identity they want?
Backlash Growing
“With 2021 on track to be the deadliest year on record for transgender people in the United States — the majority of whom are Black transgender people — Netflix should know better.”
– David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition
Even prior to Netflix firing a Black pregnant person under dubious circumstances, over 1,000 employees had spoken out against the company and planned to join a walkout. The walkout alone could cost Netflix hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost labor. This $24.1 million dollar special just got a lot more expensive for the company.
Ted Sarandos tried to “both sides” Netflix, pointing out queer creators they allow to exist on the platform. That included Hannah Gadsby, comedian well-known for her first Netflix special, “Nanette.” Gadsby was having none of that.
“Hey Ted Sarandos! Just a quick note to let you know that I would prefer if you didn’t drag my name into your mess. Now I have to deal with even more of the hate and anger that Dave Chappelle’s fans like to unleash on me every time Dave gets 20 million dollars to process his emotionally stunted partial world view. You didn’t pay me nearly enough to deal with the real world consequences of the hate speech dog whistling you refuse to acknowledge, Ted. Fuck you and your amoral algorithm cult…I do shits with more back bone than you. That’s just a joke! I definitely didn’t cross a line because you just told the world there isn’t one.”
– Hannah Gadsby, on her Instagram post
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos tried to point to the fact that they have queer comics on Netflix, along with hate speech, as though the existence of one group of people on a platform means another group is allowed to call out for harm to that group. “See, we allow this person to exist!” is not the same as, “See? This person is allowed to call for violence.” Hate speech is not the same as simply wanting to exist.
https://twitter.com/JaclynPMoore/status/1445912662093729793?s=20
Netflix’s “Dear White People” Co-showrunner Jaclyn Moore quit her job at the company over the transphobic response to Chappelle’s bigotry. After doing so, she was attacked by the same harassment and bigotry Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos claims doesn’t happen as a result of their programming. Content warning, hate speech in the embedded Tweet below.
https://twitter.com/JaclynPMoore/status/1446503203533737984?s=20
Netflix’s @Most account hasn’t been able to post anything without someone replying about Netflix’s defense of bigotry and hate. The replies usually net more likes than the original message. Numerous others have shared screenshots of the cancellation message you can get by going here and cancelling your Netflix account.
With over a thousand employees walking out on October 20th, customers cancelling their Netflix subscriptions, and the fact that none of Chappelle’s specials haven’t been profitable before, someone has to wonder what Netflix is really defending here. They’re clearly not standing up for profits anymore, they’re just standing up for hate.
Fortunately, Netflix’s own employees won’t stand for that, and you don’t have to either.