Dave Chappelle is attacked on stage during Hollywood Bowl set

Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked near the conclusion of his act during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday night. Security personnel took the assailant down and he was later carted away on a stretcher. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to the NBC affiliate in Los Angeles that the attacker had a weapon that could release a knife blade “when you discharge it correctly,” although it wasn’t clear if the unnamed person attempted to use the item. Chappelle appeared not to be seriously harmed. 

Someone just tried to attack Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl pic.twitter.com/PZI3RMRdjD

— Piñata Farms (@pinatafarms) May 4, 2022

Chappelle was performing as part of the Netflix is a Joke Festival taking place at numerous Los Angeles-area venues, and the evening was billed as “Dave Chappelle and Friends.”

A reporter on the scene said that the attacker “got his ass kicked by at least 10 people.” Video on social media confirmed that there was no shortage of eager security personnel. 

The idiot getting beaten down after attacking Dave Chappelle at Hollywood Bowl pic.twitter.com/Ft0FIUyjWv

— Jed Simon (@JEDSIMON) May 4, 2022

A video from the aftermath showed the alleged assailant with a very twisted-looking arm.

Definitely don’t tackle #DaveChappelle while he’s performing on stage pic.twitter.com/X0Lbi8ghsf

— AlexGB.sfm (@ab_a_w_p) May 4, 2022

Chappelle’s live performances are billed as “phone free,” and audience members were asked to keep their devices locked in carrying cases. Clearly, not everyone complied, which will likely be good for authorities investigating this incident. 

Someone just ran on stage and attacked Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles #netflixisajokefest #netflixisajoke pic.twitter.com/0WMUPQ7ks4

— DoZay (@DoZay1) May 4, 2022

In the aftermath, Chappelle said, “That was a trans man!” The comment chummed the waters of antagonism between himself and the trans community and sparked immediate outrage online. A short time later, Chappelle returned to salute Jamie Foxx who took to the stage to vamp while the comic collected himself. (Whether the Oscar-winning actor was originally going to be up there remains unknown.) Also, according to The New York Times, Talib Kweli and Mos Def performed for a bit while police vehicles zoomed around the stage area. 

Foxx called Chappelle “an absolute genius” and that “we gotta make sure we protect him at all time.” Shout-outs were also given to Busta Rhymes.

TMZ reported that, indeed, Chris Rock was in attendance, too. He hit the stage to hug Chappelle and asked the question on everybody’s mind: “Was that Will Smith?”

The name of the assailant, and any possible motive, remain unknown. 

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