Dave Chappelle has seemingly forgiven the man who attacked him earlier this week at the Hollywood Bowl – and even made a joke about it.
On Thursday evening, he took to the stage again and gave some insight into what happened on that fateful night with his attacker. He even revealed that he had insisted on speaking to the man in order to process the incident.
The comedian told the audience he “needed to talk to” Isaiah Lee in order to get some answers as to why he was attacked. Apparently, Lee said that the stunt was an attempt to get “attention for his grandmother who was being forced out of her neighborhood because of gentrification.”
Chappelle’s speech last night was heard by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Diddy, Jeff Ross, and Chris Rock at the Comedy Store on Sunset Strip. Then Chris Rock joined him on stage and the two cracked a few jokes about their shared experience of being attacked at work.
“At least you got smacked by someone of repute. I got smacked by a homeless guy with leaves in his hair!” the 48-year-old quipped, to which Rock responded, “I got smacked by the softest n*gga that ever rapped.”
Dave Chappelle has received numerous accolades, including five Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Chappelle received his first Emmy in 2017 for his guest appearance on Saturday Night Live.
In 2018, he received a Grammy Award for his Netflix-produced comedy album The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas. Equanimity, another Netflix special featuring Chappelle, was nominated in 2018 for three Emmys and received the award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). In 2019, Chappelle was selected to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which is presented by the Kennedy Center as America’s highest comedy honor.
In 2020, Sticks & Stones earned Chappelle his third consecutive Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
