Dave Chappelle - The Closer

[Goldentony]

Do Netflix have any quality control

no, near enough every Netflix original production is certified roasted shite

[Noodle Lizard]

Do Netflix have any quality control or do they just pen 20 million dollar contracts with the one provision being to do an hour standing on stage with noise coming out of your mouth? I assume it is and that's a pretty good deal for Chappelle but it means he doesn't have to hone or road test any material. Like Gervais he gets a king's ransom, no questions asked for whinging about whatever pleb on Twitter has dared to question him. Netflix just throw tens of millions at big names and this is what happens.

Even within the industry, nobody's quite sure what their endgame is. They're more successful than ever, but they're still billions of dollars in debt and they don't seem to care about getting out of it. They pay insane amounts for things that are almost guaranteed not to make them any profit - like $20m straight to Ricky Gervais for the completely ignored Ricky Gervais: Humanity, which I can't imagine worked out to $1 per view even[nb]I know it's more complex than that with the subscription model, but still[/nb]. Their complete lack of transparency makes you wonder if there might be a laundering element to it.

[BeardFaceMan]

God knows what kind of metrics they use but that insider that leaked some info said that Netflix worked out that they made 19 million dollars from The Closer and it cost them, what 24, 25 million? If something as big and anticipated and viewed as Chappelle's latest show still turned out to be loss for Netflix then it is hard to see how they're ever going to turn a profit with their current model. No wonder they keep quiet about all of their figures.

[peanutbutter]

God knows what kind of metrics they use but that insider that leaked some info said that Netflix worked out that they made 19 million dollars from The Closer and it cost them, what 24, 25 million? If something as big and anticipated and viewed as Chappelle's latest show still turned out to be loss for Netflix then it is hard to see how they're ever going to turn a profit with their current model. No wonder they keep quiet about all of their figures.

The top level of standup specials is probably in a massive bubble atm, but I think these later Chappelle specials aren't as relevant as the value of tying him down a few years ago and the impact of that in making Netflix the go to place for specials.


Struggle to see how he warrants those kinds of numbers when he's so stale as a standup these days.

[Fry]

All I say is managing to lose 6 million dollars on a show that consisted of a bloke, a microphone and a stage is impressive even by stupid fucking techbro standards.

[The Culture Bunker]

Surely the only measure that means anything to Netflix is their subscriber number? I mean, it doesn't matter what people watch - or if they even ever use it - as long as their subs keep coming in and new members sign up (which presumably is a big part of why they create new material, to lure them in).

I could believe there's a decent chunk of people paying for Netflix who barely ever watch it, but never get round to cancelling.

[chveik]

it feels like they are more interested in cultural hegemony than actually making money.

[Jack Shaftoe]

It's a weird thing with the streamers that it kind of doesn't matter how many people watch specific shows, it's all about pulling in new subscribers. I wonder if it'll end up like those dial-up broadband suppliers who still pull in tens of millions of dollars a year, purely on people who've either forgotten they signed up years ago, or just can't be arsed to cancel.

Bloke who did Squid Game is pointing out he didn't make any more money from it being Number One Insane Hit Across World than he would have done if no-one had watched it at all. Although I suppose his agent will be excited about negotiating his next contract.

[BeardFaceMan]

it feels like they are more interested in cultural hegemony than actually making money.

This feels like the more likely answer, it doesn't matter that they're getting a lot of bad publicity from this, it's all about brand awareness. Netflix and chill, baby!

[The Culture Bunker]

it feels like they are more interested in cultural hegemony than actually making money.

Suspect they're always going to be way behind Amazon and Disney in those stakes.

I've got access to the old man's Netflix account but I don't think I've watched anything on it in well over a year, when the wife binge-watched the Good Place.

[Noodle Lizard]

Surely the only measure that means anything to Netflix is their subscriber number? I mean, it doesn't matter what people watch - or if they even ever use it - as long as their subs keep coming in and new members sign up (which presumably is a big part of why they create new material, to lure them in).

I could believe there's a decent chunk of people paying for Netflix who barely ever watch it, but never get round to cancelling.

That's true, and I think it might've worked fine if other streaming services hadn't popped up too (some with vast pre-existing libraries). So in Netflix's case, it's all about building and maintaining a solid library of original content (with the occasional big buy of Seinfeld or something), but you still wonder how anyone could sit down and do the sums to conclude that Eddie Murphy should be paid $75m for a stand-up special. To give a comparison, that's about 7 times what he made from any film when he was actually popular.

[Goldentony]

I suppose his agent will be excited about negotiating his next contract.

"have you got any shite ideas you want rid of in exchange for the easiest money you'll ever make"

[peanutbutter]

That's true, and I think it might've worked fine if other streaming services hadn't popped up too (some with vast pre-existing libraries). So in Netflix's case, it's all about building and maintaining a solid library of original content (with the occasional big buy of Seinfeld or something), but you still wonder how anyone could sit down and do the sums to conclude that Eddie Murphy should be paid $75m for a stand-up special. To give a comparison, that's about 7 times what he made from any film when he was actually popular.

Given their position in standup, would it be heavily about ensuring no one else can have it? The special would be 25m, the other 50 would be some kind of clause that means he cant do another special for anyone else for a few years

[Noodle Lizard]

Given their position in standup, would it be heavily about ensuring no one else can have it? The special would be 25m, the other 50 would be some kind of clause that means he cant do another special for anyone else for a few years

Of course but ... it's Eddie Murphy! I dunno if anyone was really clamouring for him to return to stand-up, but I'm sure they did their research.

They do seem to be the only service with a heavy stand-up focus, though, which you'd think HBO would've doubled down on. Then again, with things being clipped on YouTube and the sheer ubiquity of most comedians on podcasts, SNL etc., I'd have thought stand-up specials would be less of a draw than actual shows, but who knows the machinations of it all.

[bgmnts]

Does he say "the LBGTQ community" about one minute in, there? I mean Christ, if you're going to double down on this battle, may as well make sure you get their basic terminology right.

Is LGBTQ wrong? I thought that was correct now.

To be fair to him, terminology like this is in a constant state of flux and is impossible to keep up with. Can't expect an old guy to do so.

[McChesney Duntz]

He switched the B and the G.

[bgmnts]

Oh god yeah haha.

[poo]

Lasted 21 mins. Shite.

[Noodle Lizard]

Oh god yeah haha.

Easy mistake to make, bmgnts, no worries!

[13 schoolyards]

it feels like they are more interested in cultural hegemony than actually making money.

The original deal with Netflix (and Uber, and every other "disruptive" start up) was based on a business model where they were going to get in first into a new market (that they created thanks to the Power of The Internet), totally dominate their chosen industry, drive out all competitors, and when customers had no other choice, massively jack up the price to turn a profit. As this basically worked for Amazon, US investors with billions of dollars sloshing around were more than happy to throw money at them, which is how they're "profitable" - so long as the stock price is high and investors believe a payday is coming, they'll keep putting money in.

The trouble is that streaming was never going to work like that, as there were already a bunch of massive media companies who already owned a lot of the programming Netflix was relying on. As soon as they started taking their shows back to build their own rival streaming services, Netflix' endgame vanished. Now all they can do is try to become another media company like Disney or Warners and hope the eventual losses are kicked down the road far enough that everyone currently involved can cash out.

[Noodle Lizard]

Now all they can do is try to become another media company like Disney or Warners and hope the eventual losses are kicked down the road far enough that everyone currently involved can cash out.

Or get bought. There was an early assumption that HBO or Disney would pick them up, and now that they each have their own streaming services it's difficult to say whether that's become more or less likely. I expect the can will continue to be kicked for another decade or so, who knows what'll happen in that time.

[QDRPHNC]

https://globalnews.ca/news/8326618/dave-chappelle-toronto-scotiabank-arena/?utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=GlobalNational&fbclid=IwAR3sUUMrPTopQRrZSkvyOAb0EqyuAuQEJ_Ooge0OI2LU2btLO2JesCnVZ28

TORONTO – Dave Chappelle has booked Scotiabank Arena in Toronto to screen his latest documentary next month, even as he continues to draw controversy over comments in his latest Netflix special deemed anti-transgender.

The U.S. standup comedian, who issued a statement this week saying he's been a victim of "cancel" culture over his comedy bits, will show his film "Untitled" at the 19,800-person arena on Nov. 15.

The Canadian premiere is part of a wider tour of the documentary that includes a live performance by "Dave Chappelle & Friends."

Chappelle's only date in Canada was met with some criticism online after Scotiabank Arena posted the announcement on social media and turned off the comments.

This is going to go well.

Chappelle posted an Instagram video on Monday from one of his recent live shows where he addressed how the fallout has affected the release of "Untitled":
"This film that I made was invited to every film festival in the United States and some of those invitations I accepted and when this controversy came out about 'The Closer,' they began disinviting me from these film festivals," he said.

"Today, not a film company, not a movie studio, not a film festival will touch this film. Thank God for Ted Sarandos and Netflix. He's the only one that didn't cancel me yet."

[Mister Six]

I'm gonna put a fairly large "citations needed" under that. Chappelle would surely make more cash if he self-distributed following all the "I've been cancelled" bleating than if he sold it to a studio, no?

Bloke who did Squid Game is pointing out he didn't make any more money from it being Number One Insane Hit Across World than he would have done if no-one had watched it at all. Although I suppose his agent will be excited about negotiating his next contract.

So Netflix doesn't pay royalties/residuals, then?

[Jack Shaftoe]

Nope, there's no 'back end' in that sense, unlike the terrestrial channels, where I still get a bit of Green Wing cash for All4 or whatever. Whereas I've had three of 'my' shows on at once on streamers and didn't get a penny. Netflix often have a clause saying 'if this gets to a third series, we'll pay you a LOT more,' but of course then they cancel almost everything after two series at most.

[chveik]

fucking hell i hadn't considered that. they are true scum

[Jack Shaftoe]

The streamers definitely wouldn't be my first choice to get a show made, although you can always do a co-production with another channel or studio where they chip in some cash in exchange for viewing rights fairly soon after it's been made or whatever. The thing they can offer (other than a lot of cash up front if you're a big name) is relative creative freedom, mainly because they don't care that much, so unlike a terrestrial channel, they're not standing over you the whole time sucking their teeth or demanding you get a certain actor they want to promote. That was the last I heard anyway.

[QDRPHNC]

https://globalnews.ca/news/8326618/dave-chappelle-toronto-scotiabank-arena/?utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=GlobalNational&fbclid=IwAR3sUUMrPTopQRrZSkvyOAb0EqyuAuQEJ_Ooge0OI2LU2btLO2JesCnVZ28

This is going to go well.

Chap on Facebook showed a screenshot of trying to buy tickets, front row seat is $4000.

If there's a protest I might go down there with a big sign about Glinner, maybe I'll get on his blog!

[up_the_hampipe]

Pretty funny that Chappelle hasn't even been arsed to think of a title for this documentary yet.

[Poison To The Mind]

"In his latest comedy special, Dave Chappelle said his trans friend was hounded into suicide by other trans people.
I couldn't find any evidence that it happened."

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

"In his latest comedy special, Dave Chappelle said his trans friend was hounded into suicide by other trans people.
I couldn't find any evidence that it happened."

Why is he doing this