A man police say was armed with a weapon that ejects a knife blade ran onstage to try to tackle the stand-up comedian, who did not suffer any injuries.
Dave Chappelle endured a frightening moment at a performance in Los Angeles on Tuesday night when a man jumped on stage and tried to tackle him before being restrained by security.
Chappelle did not suffer any injuries, but the Los Angeles Police Department said the male suspect was armed with a weapon called a replica gun that ejects a knife blade when discharged properly.
Isaiah Lee, 23, has been charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, an LAPD spokesperson told NBC News on Wednesday.
In video footage shared on social media, a man is seen running toward the stage at the Hollywood Bowl and attempting to knock down Chappelle during the Netflix is a Joke Festival.
The suspect was in attendance at the show and jumped onstage and rushed Chappelle when Chappelle was about to exit the stage, police said. Lee was later taken to the hospital for injuries after security pulled him off Chappelle and subdued him, police said.
One attendee told NBC News that Chappelle returned to the stage and later joked about the incident.
The incident came just weeks after another headlining comedian, Chris Rock, was slapped onstage by Will Smith in a stunning incident at the Oscars.
“Was that Will Smith?”
Chris Rock
In a Hollywood twist, Rock was in attendance at Chappelle’s show on Tuesday night. Video shared on social media shows him joining Chappelle onstage after the attack and joking, “Was that Will Smith?”
Police had no immediate details about a possible motive for the attack. Chappelle has been criticized in recent months for his jokes about the transgender community in last year’s Netflix comedy special “The Closer.”
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, which manages events for the Hollywood Bowl, told NBC News that the safety of its artists, visitors and staff is its top priority.
“The incident that occurred at the Hollywood Bowl on May 3, 2022 remains an active investigation, and we are unable to comment further at this time,” the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Netflix said in a statement to NBC News, “We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence.”
The spokesperson also told NBC News in an email that security is handled by venues and that Netflix is actively discussing the security protocols for future events.
Article by: Scott Stump
