Legendary “Purple Rain” venue First Avenue released an apology and stated “we lost sight of the impact” Chappelle’s appearance “would have.”
As Dave Chappelle continues to tour and release comedy specials that entertain his millions of fans, the comedian is still dealing with the fallout from his LGBTQIA+ controversy. Chappelle was on the receiving end of backlash and protests over his jokes about trans people, but he has stood unapologetic about his remarks. It was believed that this was all behind him, at least for the time being, but First Avenue in Minneapolis announced today (July 20) that they have canceled his comedy appearance after receiving a wave of disgruntled messages online.
First Avenue is a legendary venue that was famously depicted in Prince’s Purple Rain, and on their Instagram page, they apologized to the public.
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“To staff, artists and our community, we hear you and we are sorry. We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls,” the statement reads.
“The First Avenue team and you have worked hard to make our venues the safest spaces in the country, and we will continue with that mission. We believe in diverse voices and the freedom of artistic expression, but in honoring that, we lost sight of the impact this would have.”
The show was moved to the Varsity Theater. The response to this cancelation has been mixed, as the venue has been criticized for folding under pressure. Check it out below.
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