Another high-profile comedian attacked while on stage, but why is his response to the attack
causing such an uproar?
And what did Chris Rock have to say about the moment?
Keep watching to find out.
Dave Chappelle is a controversial figure, to say the least.
The stand-up has been known to make incendiary remarks and not apologize for them.
He's often landed in hot water, including after the release of his 2021 Netflix special,
"The Closer," which featured what many deemed to be queerphobic remarks.
Critics were quick to speak out against Chappelle, with GLAAD tweeting,
"[Chappelle's] brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized
communities."
Netflix employees even staged a walkout to condemn the release of the special and, in
the words of the organizers, "underscore the importance of responsible content offerings
that prioritize the safety and dignity of all marginalized communities."
Rather than offering a mea culpa, the brash comedian stood by his jokes, arguing that
his remarks weren't offensive and that "everyone [he] know[s] from that community has been
nothing but loving and supporting."
"Even though the media frames this as it's me versus that community, that is not what it is."
Chappelle received public support from Caitlyn Jenner, who tweeted,
"It's about corporate interests and what I can say, and what I cannot say."
Since then, Chappelle hasn't backed down from making jokes about the LGBTQ+ community, and
he did so again after a rather scary moment.
In a moment reminiscent of Chris Rock's experience with Will Smith at the Oscars, an audience
member stormed the stage and attacked Chappelle while he was performing at the Hollywood Bowl
on May 3.
While Rock's response elicited laughter from the rather tense room, Chappelle's response
to the scary incident left people fuming.
As Page Six learned, Dave Chappelle was onstage as part of the "Netflix Is A Joke" festival
and was nearing the end of his set when, around 10:45 p.m., a man sitting in the front row
got up onstage, rushed directly at him, and tackled him to the ground.
Video posted to Twitter shows the comedian staggering, but luckily, he wasn't hurt.
An LAPD spokesperson told the outlet that he very well could have been, as the suspect
carried a fake gun hiding a very real blade.
According to eyewitness accounts, it didn't take long for security and various folks to
jump in and help Chappelle.
One eyewitness tweeted that the perpetrator soon, quote, "got his a-- kicked by at least
10 people," which reportedly included Jamie Foxx.
Another A-lister who witnessed the whole thing was none other than Chris Rock.
After coming onstage and hugging his fellow comedian, he dropped the perfect one-liner, saying,
In the end, the suspect was taken to the hospital for an unspecified injury before being booked
for assault with a deadly weapon.
Brushing himself off, Chappelle returned to finish his set and told the audience,
Many fans were impressed with his response, with one telling Page Six,
However, one of Chappelle's jokes about the situation is making some people think twice.
The first thing the comedian did when he recovered was joke that his attacker had been a "trans
man," according to Page Six.
Backlash to Chappelle's remark was swift.
One critic tweeted,
Another posted,
Another argued that such rhetoric was the very reason why, in their words, "the trans
community are the most victimized, assaulted and abused."
Meanwhile, others unleashed even stronger condemnation and refused to show any concern
for the comic's wellbeing.
Philadelphia magazine journalist Ernest Owens tweeted,
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