Netflix Employees, Counterprotesters Clash in Tense Walk-Out Over Dave Chappelle Special

Samson Amore

Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.

Netfilx protest
Samson Amore

Dozens of Netflix employees and LGBTQ supporters walked out of the streaming giant's offices in Hollywood this morning in protest of comedian Dave Chappelle's incendiary new special "The Closer." They were met by a group of Chappelle supporters who carried signs like "jokes are funny" and things quickly turned tense.


At one point, a pro-Chappelle protester shoving his way towards a microphone the activists supporting the Netflix employees had set up was pushed back and there was a brief tussle before several pro-trans activists stood in the way. One of the activists threatened, "I will beat you down." The protester backed off but shortly afterwards got into another confrontation with a pro-trans rally attendee, almost knocking them over before exiting the area.

Netflix protestersCounter-protesters showed up at the walkout.Photo by Samson Amore

Chappelle's special debuted on Netflix Oct. 5, and the internal battle at Netflix has been raging since. Several Netflix employees declined to go on the record out of fear of retaliation.

B. Pagels-Minor, a former Netflix programmer and Black, trans and nonbinary person who is 33-weeks pregnant, was one of the original organizers of the walkout alongside transgender activist Ashlee Marie Preston.

Pagels-Minor said they were fired Oct. 14 after being accused of leaking private financial information to Bloomberg. Pagels-Minor denies involvement in the leak and told dot.LA they were fired roughly two and a half hours after the walkout was announced.

"How can you have transphobic content and not have counter-content that specifically shows trans lives," Pagels-Minor questioned. "Like most people, I didn't think it was very funny," Pagels-Minor added. "I'm a black trans person, and Dave Chappelle seems to think those people don't exist."

The walkout organizers' demands include creating a new fund for investing in transgender talent, revising internal policies to determine what content on the streamer is "harmful," and hire more transgender executives.

"Transparent" showrunner Joey Soloway addresses the rally.Photo by Samson Amore

Netflix has social media accounts to promote its LGBTQ+ storytelling that posts under the handle Most. Ahead of the protest, it tweeted: "brb walking out."

"Trans people are in a Holocaust. But trans people are also out here dreaming of safety, dreaming of time, which is a privilege… time to imagine, create, to write their stories," said Joey Soloway, a showrunner for Amazon's Emmy Award-winning series "Transparent" who attended the rally. "The line is simple: Stop making things worse."

In his new show, Chappelle called himself "Team TERF" (Trans-exclusionary radical feminism), a term that's used for people who, among other things, don't believe transgender women are women. "TERF" is a term that's also been used to describe "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, whose own anti-transgender missives have caused a stir in recent years. Chappelle was keen to align himself with Rowling in "The Closer" and spent a sizeable portion of his special arguing against transgender people's right to exist, claiming sex and gender are "a fact."

The backlash on social media to Chappelle's comments was swift. Netflix's "Dear White People" showrunner (and transgender woman) Jaclyn Moore tweeted the day after "The Closer" aired that she was leaving the company. "I will not work with them as long as they continue to put out and profit from blatantly and dangerously transphobic content," Moore said. Several other Netflix employees have vocally opposed the special on social media.

LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD criticized the special after it aired and said, "Dave Chappelle's brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities."

Netflix has addressed the issue – CEO Ted Sarandos made it clear Netflix wouldn't drop "The Closer" from its platform since Chappelle is one of their top performers – and Variety reported last week Sarandos also said the streamer has "a strong belief that content on screen doesn't directly translate to real-world harm."

Chappelle's jokes have targeted transgender people before. Daphne Dornan, a transgender actress living in San Francisco, was the butt of Chappelle's jokes in his past special "Sticks and Stones" and again in "The Closer." Dornan, who was a comedian, died by suicide in October 2019 and left behind a young daughter.

Burbank City Councilmember Konstantin Anthony warned that Netflix's decisions could harm its larger ambitions and echoed support for a boycott.

Netflix recently inked a lease for a 170,000 square foot animation studio in Burbank. Anthony said he'd advocate for the company's transgender employees in the area.

"We don't need millions and millions of dollars backing those words," Anthony said at the rally.

Follow dot.LA reporter Samson Amore's coverage on Twitter @Samsonamore.

This story has been updated to clarify how the tussle unfolded.

https://twitter.com/samsonamore
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🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles,

As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


What to Look Forward To

Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
  • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

    LA Venture Funds
    • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
    • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
    • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


      LA Exits

      • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

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      LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
      tech-week

      Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

      SATURDAY EVENTS

      BEVERLY HILLS

      12:00 PM

      • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

      BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

      2:00 PM

      Light Dao

      Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

      EAGLE ROCK

      12:00 PM

      Sunrise Integration, Shopify

      EL SEGUNDO

      9:00 PM

      Administratum, Valar Atomics

      HOLLYWOOD

      10:00 AM

      Passes

      MALIBU

      6:00 PM

      • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

      Gaya Ventures

      MARINA DEL RAY

      6:00 PM

      • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

      Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

      SANTA MONICA

      7:00 AM

      Founders Running Club

      8:30 AM

      Techstars

      9:00 AM

      Magic Mind

      StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

      10:00 AM

      Gen She

      AI LA

      Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

      10:30 AM

      Plantologist

      11:30 AM

      • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

      YouTube

      1:00 PM

      • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

      Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

      • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

      LadyDayDao

      5:00 PM

      KARD, What's Plots

      THE VALLEY

      7:00 AM

      Camino5

      VENICE

      9:00 AM

      Westside Yogis

      11:00 AM

      Open App

      1:00 PM

      Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

      4:00 PM

      • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

      VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

      VIRTUAL

      11:00 AM

      BLCK UNICRN

      WEST HOLLYWOOD

      7:00 PM

      Next Sequence

      SUNDAY EVENTS

      INGLEWOOD

      12:00 PM

      Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

      PLAYA DEL RAY

      2:00 PM

      AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

      SANTA MONICA

      10:00 AM

      • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

      Clutch Talent

      11:00 AM

      11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

      12:00 PM

      Data in LA, Amplitude

      12:30 AM

      New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

      TOPANGA CANYON

      3:00 PM

      Dreamore

      VENICE

      8:00 AM

      • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

      Surfed Club, Bow Shock

      12:00 PM

      • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

      WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

      VIRTUAL

      2:00 PM

      BLCK UNICRN


      For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

      Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


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      LA Tech Week 2024: Friday’s Event Lineup
      tech-week

      Check out Friday, October 18th's schedule for LA Tech Week 2024! Events are sorted by location so you can easily find what matches your goals for the day.

      BEVERLY HILLS

      8:00 AM

      Scrappy

      BRENTWOOD

      7:30 AM

      Seaside Ventures

      CULVER CITY

      9:00 AM

      Intersections LA

      1:30 PM

      • Showcasing Bioscience Innovation in LA County (Invite Only)

      BioscienceLA, County o LA, Larta Institute, LAEDC

      5:00 PM

      Grid110

      6:00 PM

      ACT House, Sip & Sonder

      EL SEGUNDO

      7:00 PM

      Dirac, Inc.

      INGLEWOOD

      10:00 AM

      Zoo Corporation, Embedded Ventures

      12:00 PM

      • Tech & The Built Environment Series: LA28 Roundtable & SoFi Stadium Tour: See Details Here

      Blended Impact

      MARINA DEL REY

      9:00 AM

      USC ISI

      PACIFIC PALISADES

      4:00 PM

      Silicon Valley Bank, Emmeline Ventures

      PLAYA DEL REY

      8:00 AM

      AI LA

      5:30 PM

      AI LA

      PLAYA VISTA

      12:00 PM

      • Women In Gaming Lunch at Google (Invite Only)

      Google

      4:00 PM

      Verizon, Infinity Festival

      SANTA MONICA

      11:00 AM

      SVRN Ventures

      Headline, Slow Ventures, Karat

      2:00 PM

      Glyf

      Botanical, Panoptic

      The American South Asian Network (ASAN)

      4:00 PM

      • Pizza, Wine, & Connectivity: Celebrating the Nomadic App Revolution:See Details Here

      Synadia

      The American South Asian Network (ASAN)

      Dory Consulting

      • Women in Tech: Beachfront Rooftop at Sunset - Wine-up & Unwind: See Details Here

      Clutch Talent

      Cohere Commerce

      5:00 PM

      Clutch Talent

      Pirros

      6:00 PM

      • Unlocking Capital with Angels & Advisors | No Pressure Networking + Panel:See Details Here

      No Pressure Networking

      Tech Pitch Roast Comedy LLC

      6:15 PM

      • Navigating Intersections: Empowering Leaders in Challenging Times: See Details Here

      Intersectional Ventures

      7:00 PM

      Mantis VC, Lightspeed Venture Partners

      Medusa Ai, Marco Di Luca Event Design

      SOUTH LA

      9:00 AM

      USC Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Cap Table Coalition, PledgeLA, Sisters with Ventures

      UCLA

      1:30 PM

      CrownData.AI

      2:00 PM

      Taisu Ventures, Quotient Ventures

      VENICE

      7:30 AM

      Run Tech Club

      9:00 AM

      Google

      12:00 PM

      Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

      5:30 PM

      Spire Circles

      7:00 PM

      Moss Venice, Yuzulabs, JPMorgan Chase

      8:00 PM

      Truffle

      VIRTUAL

      2:00 PM

      BLCK UNICRN

      WEST HOLLYWOOD

      7:30 PM

      Legendary Ventures, Day Dream Ventures

      WESTSIDE

      9:30 AM

      A16Z GAMES

      7:00 PM

      • Female Funders & Founders (Invite Only)

      L'ATTITUDE Ventures

      WESTWOOD

      9:00 AM

      Fedtech, National Security Innovation Network (NSIN)


      For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

      Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!

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