Dave Chappelle was tackled onstage while performing at the Hollywood Bowl last night (May 3). The attacker was supposedly carrying a replica gun that can eject a blade, according to an L.A. police department statement to NBC. It is unclear whether the attacked tried to use the weapon. Chappelle appeared to recover quickly, joking about joining in with the security guards who had proceeded to beat the attacker, according to BuzzFeed News reporter Brianna Sacks, who was at the show.
Shortly before being attacked, Chappelle had said he needed more security due to controversy over his repeated use of transphobic material, particularly in his latest Netflix special. After the attack, Chris Rock, who had performed earlier in the evening, ran on stage and joked, “Was that Will Smith?” Chappelle said, “It was a trans man!” Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli performed immediately after the incident. After the show, which was part of the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival, attendees caught footage of the assailant, visibly injured, being loaded into an ambulance.
Pitchfork has emailed Chappelle’s representative for comment.
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