In 2022, a man named Isaiah Lee attacked comedian Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl, allegedly triggered by Chappelle’s jokes about the LGBTQ community and homelessness. Lee is now back on the streets and has filed a lawsuit against the venue and its security team, accusing them of brutally beating him, spitting on him, and purposefully dislocating his elbow during the incident. He also claims that Chappelle’s entourage participated in beating him up. Lee’s lawsuit comes on the second anniversary of the attack, which was captured on video showing him tackling Chappelle to the ground.
Security personnel quickly intervened after Lee’s attack on Chappelle, who was unharmed and continued with the show, making light of the situation by joking that the suspect was a trans man. While a fake gun with a real knife inside fell out of Lee’s pocket during the attack, it was not used on the comedian. Lee alleges that the venue was aware of Chappelle’s provocative jokes targeting various groups, including the LGBTQ community, and should have taken more precautions to prevent harm. The Hollywood Bowl is facing charges of negligent security and battery as a result of the incident.
Lee, who identifies as bisexual, said in a jailhouse interview that he wanted Chappelle to know his jokes were triggering and that he should be more considerate of marginalized communities in his material. Despite suffering injuries like a dislocated elbow and loss of mobility, Chappelle is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Lee was initially charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon but ended up serving 270 days in prison after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges of assault and entering a restricted area. Post-release conditions include staying away from Chappelle, avoiding dangerous weapons, and not consuming controlled substances or alcohol.
Lee cited Will Smith’s defense of his wife at the Oscars as inspiration for his attack on Chappelle, stating that Chappelle’s jokes, like Chris Rock’s comments about Smith’s wife, were inappropriate and needed to be challenged. He reiterated in interviews that Chappelle should be more mindful of the impact of his jokes on vulnerable communities. Chappelle, performing as part of the “Netflix Is a Joke” festival at the time of the incident, remained unharmed and managed to diffuse the situation with humor. The lawsuit against the Hollywood Bowl highlights the need for increased security measures and accountability in venues where performers address controversial topics.
