Comedian Dave Chappelle is speaking out after being attacked during a show earlier this week.
“As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show,” Carla Sims, representative for Chappelle, said in a statement to CNN.
She added, “Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening.”
According to Sims, Chappelle is “fully cooperating” with the police investigation of the attack.
ABC News’ Stephanie Wash reported the comedian was “rushed and attacked on stage by a man at the Hollywood Bowl.
She added, “Chapelle tussled w/ the man, who ran behind the screen on stage and was surrounded by security.”
Wash continued, “LAPD confirm to KABC they responded to an incident at the Hollywood Bowl around 10:45 p.m., and a man who was reportedly armed with a gun and a knife was taken into custody.”
In case you missed it:
Dave Chappelle attacked on stage in front of a shocked audience at the Hollywood Bowl. He was not injured. Chris Rock, who was to perform later, came on stage and joked, “Was that Will Smith?”. Unlike Will Smith, however, this time the LAPD arrested the attacker. pic.twitter.com/3v3JkIzeRG
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) May 4, 2022
LAPD spokesperson Officer Lizeth Lomeli told CNN the man, identified as Isaiah Lee, was arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon and brought to a hospital for treatment.
Lomeli said the victim “was not injured as a result of the crime,” as CNN reported.
Chappelle performed during the show as part of the Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival with other comedians, including Leslie Jones, Jon Stewart and Chris Rock.
Netflix commented on the incident in a statement to CNN.
“We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence,” a Netflix spokesperson said.
After the incident, Foxx told the 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.”
He continued, “For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You’re a genius. You’re a legend.”
Foxx explained he “enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we’re not going to let nothing happen to you.”
