Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos addresses recent controversy: “I screwed up”

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has moved to save face, admitting “I screwed up” regarding the recent Dave Chappelle controversy. 

Sarandos spoke to Variety and addressed the turmoil surrounding Netflix at the moment. After transphobic jokes were made in Chappelle’s incendiary special, The Closer, Sarandos unwisely sent out two internal emails defending the comedian. He argued that content doesn’t “directly translate to real-world harm.”

His comments were met by widespread criticism, including notably from Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby. Now, on the eve of an organised company walkout by transgender employees at Netflix, Sarandos has tried to clear up his involvement in the controversy.

When asked if he had any regrets about how the process was handled, Sarandos was forthright. “I screwed up that internal communication,” he admitted. “I did that, and I screwed it up in two ways. First and foremost, I should have led with a lot more humanity.

Meaning, I had a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made. And I think that needs to be acknowledged up front before you get into the nuts and bolts of anything. I didn’t do that. That was uncharacteristic for me, and it was moving fast and we were trying to answer some really specific questions that were floating. We landed with some things that were much more blanket and matter-of-fact that are not at all accurate.”

He also addressed his notorious “real-world harm” comment. “Of course storytelling has real impact in the real world. I reiterate that because it’s why I work here, it’s why we do what we do,” he said. “That impact can be hugely positive, and it can be quite negative.

So, I would have been better in that communication. They were joining a conversation already in progress, but out of context. But that happens, internal emails go out. In all my communications I should lean into the humanity up front and not make a blanket statement that could land very differently than it was intended.”

Variety asked for his definition of what constitutes hate speech and his response was revealing.  “We are trying to support creative freedom and artistic expression among the artists that work at Netflix. Sometimes, and we do make sure our employees understand this, because of that — because we’re trying to entertain the world, and the world is made up of folks with a lot of different sensibilities and beliefs and senses of humor and all those things — sometimes, there will be things on Netflix that you dislike. That you even find to be harmful.

Where we’ll definitely draw the line is on something that would intentionally call for physically harming other people or even remove protections. For me, Intent to cause physical harm crosses the line, for sure.” Variety pressed him on The Closer, asking him if he thought it constituted hate speech, to which his answer was no.

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Check out Hannah Gadsby calling out Ted Sarandos:

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