Netflix fires organizer of trans employee walkout over leak of confidential data related to Dave Chappelle's special

Netflix has fired an employee for allegedly leaking confidential data pertaining to Dave Chappelle's latest stand-up comedy special. The employee was also the organizer of an upcoming employee walkout to protest Chappelle's comedy special because of accusations of "homophobia" and "transphobia."

Netflix, which is notorious for keeping viewership data close to the vest, fired an employee for reportedly leaking metrics on Chappelle's latest comedy special to the media. The "commercially sensitive information" was purportedly shared with someone outside of Netflix, and was included in a recent Bloomberg article.

The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the internal information that Netflix would not want to be made public:

In the piece, Bloomberg reported that Netflix spent $24.1 million on 'The Closer' and $23.6 million on Chappelle's 2019 special, 'Sticks & Stones.' Those numbers were in comparison to the $3.9 million the streamer spent on Bo Burnham's 'Inside' and the $21.4 million Netflix spent on the hit show 'Squid Game.' According to the internal documents reviewed by Bloomberg, Chappelle's 'Sticks & Stones' special was measured as having an 'impact value' of $19.4 million, which meant that the special cost more than the value Netflix determined it generated.

Netflix released a statement on the termination of the unnamed employee said to have leaked confidential data related to Chappelle's special.

"We have let go an employee for sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company," a Netflix spokesperson said Friday. "We understand this employee may have been motivated by disappointment and hurt with Netflix, but maintaining a culture of trust and transparency is core to our company."

The fired employee is also a "leader of the trans employee resource group who was organizing the upcoming October 20th walkout," according to The Verge.

Hundreds of employees are expected to participate in the walkout to protest the streaming giant for continuing to air "The Closer" and comments made by Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos, who defended Chappelle.

The report from The Verge highlights that the fired Netflix employee is "black and currently pregnant," but does not reveal her identity "for fear of online harassment."

"All these white people are going around talking to the press and speaking publicly on Twitter and the only person who gets fired is the Black person who was quiet the entire time," the former employee allegedly told the outlet. "That's absurd, and just further shows that Black trans people are the ones being targeted in this conversation."

Meanwhile, Netflix suspended three employees this week for crashing the company's quarterly business review. The three employees, including one who identifies as trans and spoke out against Chappelle's special, have since been reinstated.