Comedian Chris D’Elia has questioned Netflix’s decision to release a comedy special featuring Mike Tyson, arguing that the entertainment industry continues to apply inconsistent standards when it comes to handling controversial figures.
Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, D’Elia revealed that he only learned about Tyson’s special after a friend sent him a link. The comedian was caught off guard by the release, which had reportedly gone live just days earlier.
“Did you know they released as like a standup special kind of thing with Mike Tyson?” D’Elia asked his producer, before expressing disbelief at the platform’s decision.
“I’m like, they just produced this Netflix special for him,” he said, questioning how Tyson was able to receive such an opportunity given his past. “First of all, standup is so hard. Stop doing it, everyone. Okay. And also, I thought this guy did some heinous things. He was in jail for it, right? I thought you don’t produce things like that for guys like that.”
D’Elia then turned the conversation toward his own career, drawing a comparison between Tyson’s Netflix appearance and the professional consequences he faced following allegations against him in 2020.
“I was cut out of a movie because of what? Nothing happened,” he stated. “So, you know what I mean? It’s been six years since then and it’s like nobody. It’s like the world is out of control, dude.”
The comedian continued criticizing what he perceives as a lack of consistency in how Hollywood handles controversial personalities, suggesting that public outrage and accountability have become increasingly selective.
“Oh, there’s just no nobody gives a [ ] about anything. We’re all just grandstanding and pretending,” D’Elia said, before summing up his frustration with a blunt assessment: “The world’s a joke.”
Toward the end of the discussion, D’Elia sarcastically suggested that Russell Brand could be next in line for a Netflix comedy special, questioning whether Brand had been cleared of the allegations against him.
