Dave Chappelle has had a few comedy specials on Netflix, but now he’s teaming up with the streaming service to highlight other stars in the field of comedy.
In Chappelle’s Home Team, a series of stand-up specials, The Closer star will introduce viewers to some of his favorite veteran comedians, all of whom have been in the industry for over 30 years. The series will kick off with a special from D.C. comedian Earthquake, who is slated to discuss health, prostate exams and disciplining kids. Donnell Rawlings, another D.C. native, will showcase his talents in the second episode.
“I’ve been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career,” said Chappelle, who serves as the show’s executive producer. “Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment.”
Chappelle’s new specials continue his longtime partnership with Netflix. In 2016, he signed a $20 million deal with the streaming service under which he released six comedy specials. The Age of Spin, Deep in the Heart of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones all earned the comedian Grammy awards in the category of Best Comedy Album.
His sixth special The Closer, however, made headlines following backlash from the transgender community. After an influx of requests to remove it from the platform, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defended Chappelle and chose to keep the show on.
“The strongest evidence to support this is that violence on screens has grown hugely over the last thirty years, especially with first-party shooter games, and yet violent crime has fallen significantly in many countries,” he said in an email to staff. “Adults can watch violence, assault and abuse – or enjoy shocking stand-up comedy — without it causing them to harm others.”
“Earthquake: Legendary,” the first episode of Chappelle’s Home Team, is set to premiere on Feb. 28. The date for Rawlings‘ special has not been announced.