The entertainment industry has renewed its focus on security since the infamous slap at this year’s Academy Awards.
Still, some threats have remained undetected… and now the industry is reeling again.
On Tuesday, comedian Dave Chappelle was assaulted onstage in Los Angeles, according to eyewitness accounts. He appears to have been tackled by an audience member.
The L.A. police department took a man into custody after the event, according to a police statement to NBC News L.A. The police department found on the suspect a weapon “that can eject a knife blade,” the department said.
The police remain unsure as to whether the suspect tried to use the weapon. Assault with a deadly weapon tends to yield much more severe punishments.
Chappelle was unharmed according to police. He even joked about the attack shortly afterward.
“It was a trans man,” Chappelle said in video footage reviewed by NBC News. Chappelle was referring to transgender activists’ anger over his Netflix special last year, when he made fun of… transgender activists’ anger.
Police have yet to formally identify a motive.
After the attack, other comedians praised Chappelle in from of the live crowd.
“Listen, I just want to say, this man is an absolute genius. We’ve got to make sure we protect him at all times,” the actor Jamie Foxx said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You’re a genius. You’re a legend, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we’re not going to let nothing happen to you.”
Chris Rock — the comedian slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars — had performed earlier that night. According to an ABC News reporter, Rock went onstage after the attack and joked, “Was that Will Smith!?”
“I’ve been doing this for 35 years,” Chappelle said after the attack, according to THR. “I just stomped a n—- backstage. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
The suspect was violently subdued by “at least 10 people,” according to a BuzzFeed News reporter present at the event
Attendees were forbidden from using their cell phones at the show, according to the venue’s website. However, some attendees collected videos anyway.
One Twitter user tweeted a screengrab of the attack. The BuzzFeed reporter tweeted a video of the authorities taking the suspect into custody, with his arm bent at an odd angle.
Take a look —
Dave Chappelle just got attacked on stage
— Hoodville (@Hoodville_) May 4, 2022
The show was just ending when the man hoppped onto stage and ran at Chapelle, form tackling him to the ground. The comedian had literally just said he now has more security because of all the uproar from his jokes about the Trans community
— Brianna Sacks (@bri_sacks) May 4, 2022
Dave Chapelle was rushed & attacked on stage by a man at the Hollywood Bowl. Chapelle tussled w/ the man, who ran behind the screen on stage & was surrounded by security. Chris Rock, who performed earlier, came on stage w/ him & joked: “Was that Will Smith?” #netflixisajokefest
— Stephanie Wash (@WashNews) May 4, 2022
The Horn editorial team