Video footage of award-winning comedian Dave Chappelle being attacked on stage during his latest comedy set in Los Angeles has surfaced, and the attacker left in an ambulance.
The aggressor, identified as a young man named Isaiah Lee, was seen tackling Chappelle as he introduced the DJ for his set at the Hollywood Bowl as part of Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival on May 4.
“Behind me at the DJ table is one of the most prolific producers that hip-hop has ever presented, the mighty Madlib,” the comedian said to his audience. “Ladies and gentleman, make some noise for some hip-hop history–” he added before being lunged into by Lee.
The attacker’s impact was so strong that six-foot Chappelle fell backward. Then, security rushed onto the stage and chased the man into a corner.
“I’m going to kill that [guy],” the 48-year-old shouted before heading to the side of the stage. “Wait, I gotta see this.”
He then ran over to where his security was huddled and dropped his mic. Afterward, he walked back to the stage center and said, “Thank god that n***a was clumsy. He’s back there getting stomped.”
He also questioned where the 23-year-old came from in the first place.
“Where did that n***a come from?” Chappelle asked aloud while on stage. Then he hilariously continued, as he was catching his breath, saying, “It was a trans man!”
According to news reports, Lee was taken to the hospital with “superficial injuries,” as more video footage showed him on a stretcher with his elbow bent at a strange angle. The Los Angeles Police Department said he carried a gun-shaped weapon with him that could eject a knife blade “when you discharge it correctly.”
Definitely don’t tackle #DaveChappelle while he’s performing on stage 😬 pic.twitter.com/X0Lbi8ghsf
— AlexGB.sfm (@ab_a_w_p) May 4, 2022
The attacker has been held on $30,000 bail, and authorities said he would be charged with a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon.
Chappelle mentioned that his dear friend, award-winning actor, singer, and comedian Jamie Foxx, who came to his show, helped him.
“Whenever you’re in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff’s hat,” he said.
Here is a video of the aftermath. #DaveChappelle handled this like a champ! #HollywoodBowl pic.twitter.com/0xaBpWsbrT
— E5QUIRE (@e5quire) May 4, 2022
“I thought that was part of the show,” Foxx responded, adding that the D.C. native was an “absolute genius” and needed to be protected at all times.
Chappelle also shouted out award-winning rapper Busta Rhymes, who was also reportedly at the show, for helping security handle Lee.
“I saw Busta Rhymes back there saying, ‘That’s how you do it, god.'”
Fellow Emmy award-winning comedian Chris Rock, who performed earlier in the evening, came on stage with Chappelle after being attacked and jokingly asked, “Was that Will Smith?”
I thought this was a joke, it actually happened. After Dave Chappelle gets tackled onstage, Chris Rock grabs the mic and says “was that Will Smith?” pic.twitter.com/8MoCO8L0iB
— Ezra (@EzraCeleste) May 4, 2022
Smith shockingly smacked Rock in the face as he hosted the 2022 Oscar Awards on Mar. 27 for poking fun at his wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith.
