Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage while performing at the Hollywood Bowl on May 3. The comedian was participating in the ongoing Netflix Is a Joke Fest when an attendee rushed the stage and tackled him. The assailant was swiftly carried away by security, and he was later found to be carrying a replica handgun that ejects a knife, NBC Los Angeles [1] reported. He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Chappelle was uninjured by the attack, and he even came back out to close out the set. In videos of his return to the stage [2], Chappelle joked that he initially thought the attack was just "part of the show." Jamie Foxx [3], who was in attendance, then joined him on stage and told the crowd: "This man is an absolute genius. We have to make sure we protect him at all times." Chris Rock [4], who performed earlier, also came on stage and asked, "Was that Will Smith [5]?" referencing the incident at the 2022 Oscars [6].
A motive is not currently clear, but BuzzFeed News reporter Brianna Sacks [7], who attended the show, said Chappelle, earlier in his set, spoke about needing more security due to the backlash over his prior transphobic comments [8]. When he returned to the stage, Chappelle said of the assailant, "It was a trans man."