Dave Chappelle was assaulted on stage in Los Angeles
2 min read
Lester Cohen / WireImage
Comedian Dave Chappelle was assaulted on stage while he was performing at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) told a regional news channel that they reached the venue at 10:45 p.m. The attacker was supposedly carrying a gun and a knife was soon taken into custody by the detectives.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Dave Chappelle was assaulted in Los Angeles
Journalist Sharon Carpenter tweeted about the incident saying that Dave Chappelle was attacked while he was wrapping up his Hollywood Bowl show. A man unexpectedly charged onto the stage and knocked the star off the floor.
The attacker tried to evade Chappelle’s security but was soon detained by them. Reportedly he was also subjected to punches and kicks from security and his entourage.
Chappelle, who turned out to be uninjured after the whole ordeal, continued with his joking set saying, ‘It was a trans man.’
Earlier this year, Chappelle sparked outrage among the LGBTQ community. The comedian made some transphobic jokes in his Netflix special titled The Closer. Following the controversy, he faced backlash from trans groups and some employees of Netflix. Despite that, the platform did not stop the episode from streaming and Chappelle stood by his earlier comments.
Jamie Foxx, who was watching Chappelle’s show from the wings of the Hollywood Bowl also helped the security to detain the attacker.
Chappelle thanked Foxx later on stage saying, ‘Whenever you’re in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff’s hat.’
Chris Rock, who was also subjected to assault by Will Smith last month, joked about the incident saying, ‘Was that Will Smith?’.
Chappelle responded to him saying, ‘I thought it was you for a second!’
Chappelle was performing as a part of the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival. The show will feature nearly 130 comics and include big names such as Seth Rogen, Chelsea Handler, Snoop Dogg, and Conan O’Brien. The Los Angeles-based fest is happening across 25 venues.
The aftermath of Dave Chappelle’s attack
The assault on Dave Chappelle is most likely to bring back concerns among the comedy community. The issue was raised after comedian Chris Rock was slapped by actor Will Smith at the Oscars awards last month.
According to a THR report, comedy clubs and centers are considering pre-show warnings and hiring security guards for the coming shows. Moreover, they might mandate metal detectors for the audience before the show.
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