After a man reportedly leapt on stage, Dave Chappelle, comedian, was attacked at a Los Angeles show Tuesday night. According to reports, the alleged attacker sustained injuries in the attack and was taken away by an ambulance.
The incident appears to have been captured on video. Chappell was performing his comedy routine for Netflix Is A Joke at the Hollywood Bowl when the man attempted to confront him.
Security and other people quickly took him away, appearing to have repeatedly struck the man off-stage. Videos appear to show.
Chappelle, who was on the stage immediately following the attack, thanked security before laughing about the incident, describing the attacker as a “transman” and calling him a “transman”.
Chappelle jokes a lot about trans people in his standup routine. He even claimed during Tuesday night’s performance that he was recently forced to increase security because of new threats.
Another video showed the attacker being taken away by paramedics with a crowd cheering and cursing him. In several videos, you could see multiple emergency response vehicles and police officers at the scene.
Police said that at least one person was taken into custody with a knife and gun following the attack.
LAPD confirmed to KABC that they responded to an incident at Hollywood Bowl at 10:45 p.m. and that a man armed with a gun as well as a knife was taken into police custody. #netflixisajokefest #DaveChappelle
According to reports, the attack occurred as Chappelle was closing his show. Chapelle thanked Jamie Foxx, actor, and Busta Rhymes of coming to his aid. He joked that “if you’re ever in trouble Jamie Foxx would show up in a sheriff’s hat.” Chris Rock, a comedian, appeared on stage and asked “Was that Will Smith?” The joke about Rock attacking Smith on the Oscars stage earlier in the year was laughed out loud by the crowd.
Smith was permitted to return to his seat after the incident and could participate in all of the Oscars. He even walked onto the stage to receive an Oscar later in the ceremony.
Smith resigned from the Academy a few days later. He was then banned from attending Academy sponsored events for ten consecutive years.
Smith released a statement saying that Smith’s actions at the presentation of the 94th Academy Awards were “shocking, painful, and inexcusable”.
Smith issued a second statement after the announcement of the ban, saying “I accept the Academy’s decision.”
