While performing a set at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, comedian Dave Chapelle was tackled mid-performance. The comedian has been at the heart of controversy recently, after his 2021 Netflix special The Closer came under fire for a section in which he addressed his long history of making jokes at the expense of the LGBTQ+ community, and, for many, crossed the line to indefensible transphobia. In October 2021, Netflix's transgender employees and their supporters staged a walkout in protest of Chappelle's special.
Upon The Closer's controversial release, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the streamer would not remove Chappelle's special, citing the company’s commitment to "creative freedom." However, following the walkout, Sarandos admitted he "screwed up" his initial response to Netflix employees who were "feeling pain and hurt" from the company's decision, though The Closer was not removed. Representatives for Chappelle eventually said he was open to a dialogue with representatives of the transgender community, though he was notably absent at the walkout despite the protestors inviting him, which his representatives deny. Recently, Chappelle was billed as one of the biggest acts at Netflix’s first ever live comedy show, the Netflix Is A Joke Festival, performing alongside the likes of John Mulaney, Bill Burr and Aziz Anzari.
As reported by Variety, it was at this festival that Chappelle was rushed onstage by an attacker who tackled the comedian and, after attempting to run backstage, was subdued by security and members of Chappelle’s team. According to the report, police sources say the attacker had a "knife shaped like a gun" when arrested. Chappelle was seemingly unharmed and quickly regained his composure after the attacker left the stage. Brief footage of the incident (via @abazar) can be seen below:
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NBC News also reported that the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the attack early Wednesday morning, saying the assailant was "carrying a fake gun with a real knife blade inside it." This adds a serious twist to a story that was initially treated with levity by Chappelle and his peers. Chris Rock, who also performed at the event earlier in the evening, referenced the now-infamous "Oscars Slap" incident from earlier this year, appearing on stage after Chappelle was tackled to quip, "Was that Will Smith?" Chappelle himself also reportedly commented that his attacker was "a trans man” later in his set. That comment arguably makes light of the situation and vilifies the trans community. Fellow comedians at the event, including Jimmy Carr, have since taken to Twitter to express their relief that no one was harmed.
So far, it is not clear what motivated the attack on Chappelle. While the comedian was quick to brush off the assailant and get straight back into his set, the level of danger he may have been in given the attacker had a weapon has not been confirmed. More details are likely to be revealed in the coming days as an investigation into this incident during Dave Chappelle's Netflix Is A Joke appearance continues.
Source: Variety/NBC News