'SNL' Alum Chris Redd Speaks out About Heinous Attack That Sent Him to Hospital
Former Saturday Night Live star Chris Redd spoke out for the first time since he was punched in the face outside a New York City comedy club on Oct. 26. The comedian, 37, was hospitalized for his injuries and no arrests have been made yet. Redd was a member of the SNL cast from 2017 until this summer when he left the show.
"I've been resting up like crazy but I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for all the messages of love, the jokes, and the concern," Redd wrote on his Instagram Story Sunday. "I'm ok and healing fast!!!" Redd said he planned to reschedule any comedy shows he missed this week, adding, "I'll be back up talking some good s- very soon!!!"
Redd was reportedly assaulted outside the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan's Greenwich Village on Oct. 26. Just as he was getting out of his car, a man who looked like a security guard punched him in the face just before 9:40 p.m., according to the early police investigation, reports WABC. The incident was caught on a security camera, with the footage later published by TMZ.
Over the weekend, TMZ published photos of Redd with his nose stitched up and a visible bruise under his left eye. The outlet reported that the suspect used brass knuckles during the assault. TMZ's post also mentioned that Redd's Greg Yuna chain was pulled from his neck during the attack, but Redd later denied this in a follow-up Instagram Story message. "Nobody snatched my chain bro!!!! Y'all will just write anything," Redd wrote.
Redd was scheduled to perform at the Comedy Cellar from Wednesday to Sunday. His next set of shows is a three-night stand at Nate Jackson's Super Funny Comedy Club in Tacoma, Washington from Nov. 11 to Nov. 13. He has tour dates scheduled through Jan. 5, according to his website.
Redd joined SNL in 2017 and was among the mass exodus before Season 48 kicked off in October. Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Alex Moffat, Melissa Villasenor, and Aristotle Athari also left the show. During his tenure, Redd won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the now-classic sketch "Come Back, Barack," which he wrote with Kenan Thompson, Will Stephen, and Eli Brueggemann. Redd also starred in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and Thompson's NBC Sitcom Kenan. His comedy special Why Am I Like This? will be released on HBO Max on Nov. 3.
"Being a part of SNL has been the experience of a lifetime," Redd said in a statement in September. "Five years ago, I walked into 30 Rock knowing that this was an amazing opportunity for growth. Now, with friends who have become family and memories I will cherish forever, I'm grateful to Lorne Michaels and to the entire SNL organization. From the bottom of my heart, I can't thank you all enough."