Dave Chappelle expanded on the details behind the scary incident during his set at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday. During a secret show at The Comedy Store, Chappelle revealed some more about the attack, his reaction and some additional Chris Rock with another reference to his Will Smith incident.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, several celebrities were in attendance at the club for the show, including P. Diddy, Kim Kardashian and Yasiin Bey. But for Chappelle, he reflected on the scary moment on stage and what he went through at the time.
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As he tells the audience, he only got a grip of the attacker’s hair and never saw his face during the incident. He also said that his son “embraced” him immediately after the frightening moment, telling him, “Dad, I love you.” He was also comforted by the sight of Jamie Foxx in a sheriff’s hat, which is comforting enough just imagining.
After a bit, Chris Rock would join Chappelle on stage and stay until the show was over. Both seemed to be bonding over their mutual incidents and joked about them in light of the seriousness that seemed to underline both moments. “At least you got smacked by someone of repute!” Chappelle said to Rock. “I got smacked by a homeless guy with leaves in his hair.” Rock responded with his harshest comment on Will Smith’s slap yet. “I got smacked by the softest n-a that ever rapped,” Rock told Chappelle.
Chappelle did reveal that he got to speak with the 23-year-old who attacked him after the incident and with some coaxing toward venue security. “I needed to talk to him,” Chappelle said, explaining that he asked the man what prompted the attack. He added that the man seemed to be mentally ill and told a story about his grandmother in Brooklyn being forced out by gentrification. The Hollywood Reporter adds that attacking Chappelle was allegedly a way to raise awareness, which is far different than your typical GoFundMe.
The comedian closed the set with a nod to P. Diddy in the audience, and some criticism of Los Angeles. “I am in the [place] where you sat in the car with Biggie Smalls as he died,” Chappelle said. “I hate this city.” As THR notes, he then took his cigarettes and exited the stage.
Word broke on Thursday that the attacker won’t face any felony charges. He will be hit with four other charges related to the attack, and was revealed to have had a weapon on him shaped like a gun but with a knife attached. It’s a small detail that raises the severity of the incident.
