Performing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, the comedian addresses the Hollywood Bowl incident as he recalls what the man told him about the reason why he attacked him onstage.
- May 7, 2022
AceShowbiz - Dave Chappelle has shared more details of the much-talked-about attack on him at Hollywood Bowl. Headlining a surprise comedy show in Los Angeles on Thursday night, May 5, the comedian revealed he talked to Isaiah Lee backstage, during which the alleged attacker gave a rambling reason for why he did it.
The famous comic told the intimate crowd, which included Kim Kardashian, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, rapper Yasiin Bey and Jeff Ross, at The Comedy Store that he convinced security to let him enter the room where Isaiah was being held before he was hauled away by cops. "I needed to talk to him," the 48-year-old said.
Dave said he asked Isaiah what prompted his attack and it appeared to him that the 23-year-old man is mentally ill. According to the funnyman, Isaiah told him he did it to get attention for his grandmother from Brooklyn, who had been forced out of her neighborhood by gentrification.
Recalling the incident, Dave said he couldn't see the man's face but that he got a grip of his hair. He then described his attacker as "a homeless guy with leaves in his hair." He told the crowd, "I got smacked by a homeless guy with leaves in his hair!"
Dave also described being embraced immediately after the incident by his son, who told him, "Dad, I love you." He said it was the strange sight of Jamie Foxx wearing "a sheriff's hat" that calmed him down.
"The Nutty Professor" star then gave a shout-out to his pals who reached out after the incident. "A lot of people love me, it turns out," he said, mentioning disgraced comedian Louis C.K. as one of them.
Dave was attacked while performing as part of "Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival" at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday night. The man, now identified as Isaiah, jumped onstage and lunged at the comic. The two fell on the floor before security and members of Dave's team rushed to help and restrain the man.
Isaiah, who sported bruises on his face and had his arm mangled after the incident, was then taken into custody by police. He has escaped felony prosecution and faced misdemeanor charges of battery, possessing a deadly weapon with intent to assault unlawfully crossing from a spectator area onto a stage at a theatrical event and interfering with or delaying such an event with unlawful conduct instead.
Appearing in an L.A. courtroom on Friday morning, Isaiah sported a cast on his broken arm. He pleaded not guilty on all charges while a judge set his bail at $30,000. Should he be able to post his bail, he will be under a protective order that requires him to stay at least 100 yards away from the Hollywood Bowl, Dave and any other venue at which the comedian performs.
