Hannah Gadsby is back in business with Netflix.
The Tasmanian comic, who broke out with stand-up special Nanette, has returned to the streaming giant with a multiple-title deal. The pact includes their third stand-up special for the company as well as a multiple-comic special that will showcase “gender-diverse comedians.”
The deal comes nearly a year after Gadsby blasted Netflix for its controversial Dave Chappelle stand-up special and co-CEO Ted Sarandos for supporting The Closer, which was criticized as transphobic. “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.”
Sarandos previously showed his support for Chappelle — who mocked gender identities in his 2021 special — and said in a staff memo addressing the blowback that The Closer “doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm” and would not be removed from the service.
Gadsby’s latest stand-up set, Body of Work, is more personal than 2020’s Douglas, which marked their follow-up to breakout the Emmy-winning Nanette. The special will be filmed this week at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Australian leg of Gadsby’s latest tour. It’s being recorded live with the assistance of the Sydney Opera House Trust.
The untitled multiple-comic special, meanwhile, will feature an international cast of comedians. “In an effort to further open a door that I had to fight to get through myself, I will curate and host a lineup show on Netflix featuring six new, gender-diverse comedians,” Gadsby said in a statement Monday. “In a notoriously transphobic industry, I am looking to broaden the scope of opportunities for genderqueer performers from around the globe, as well as expand the diversity of offerings to audiences on one of comedy’s biggest platforms. Coupled with a mentorship initiative for these up-and-coming comics, the program aims to foster the professional development of a demographic that is still struggling to have their voices heard. Recorded in a single run in the U.K. in 2023, this will be a chance for the world to hear these voices for the first, but definitely not the last, time.”
