Comedian Patton Oswalt has responded to the backlash he received after posting a picture with Dave Chappelle, saying he "100% disagrees" with Chapelle's controversial stance on transgender rights.
In an Instagram post on December 31, 52-year-old Oswalt posed alongside his old friend Chappelle after appearing in a New Years' Eve performance together.
"I waved good-bye to this hell-year with a genius I started comedy with 34 years ago," Oswalt wrote in the caption.
"I ended the year with a real friend and a deep laugh. Can’t ask for much more," he added.
Oswalt faced immediate backlash for the post due to Chappelle's recent stand-up.
Last year, Chappelle was accused of making anti-trans comments in a Netflix special, The Closer, in which he argued gender is a fact and identified himself as "team TERF". Since then, people have clamored for the comedian to be dropped by Netflix.
When the streaming giant's CEO Ted Sarandos defended Chappelle it only added fuel to the fire, resulting in a reported staff walkout and Netflix being publically slammed by Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby.
Now, Oswalt has made his position clear, taking to Instagram again to express his solidarity with the trans community.
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D actor began by talking about his history with Chappelle, who he has known since the two were teens.
"I saw a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time this New Year’s Eve. We’ve known each other since we’re teens. He’s a fellow comedian, the funniest I’ve ever met. I wanted to post a pic & an IG story about it — so I did. The friend is Dave Chappelle," Oswalt wrote.
Oswalt also suggested that canceling and cutting out people whose opinions we don't agree with isn't always productive, writing: "I also don’t believe a seeker like him is done evolving, learning. You know someone that long, see the struggles and changes, it’s impossible to cut them off. Impossible not to be hopeful and open and cheer them on.
However, Oswalt firmly distanced himself from Chappelle's statements about the trans community, saying: "But we also 100% disagree about transgender rights & representation.
"I support trans peoples’ rights — ANYONE’S rights — to live safely in the world as their fullest selves. For all the things he’s helped ME evolve on, I’ll always disagree with where he stands NOW on transgender issues."
Oswalt went on to apologize for any hurt that his post had caused, writing "I’m sorry, truly sorry, that I didn’t consider the hurt this would cause. Or the DEPTH of that hurt."
He ended the caption by saying he was "gonna keep trying."