Isaiah Lee, the individual who stormed the stage at the Hollywood Bowl and attacked comedian Dave Chappelle in 2022, has initiated legal action against the venue. The 25-year-old is suing for ‘negligent security and battery.’
Allegations of Negligence and Battery
Lee claims that security allowed him to approach the stage and encouraged Chappelle to carry out the attack. He alleges that security staff at the Bowl beat him, spat on him, and deliberately dislocated his elbow.
Lee, who identifies as bisexual, stated he was ‘triggered’ by Chappelle’s jokes about the LGBTQ community and homelessness. He maintains that his attack was a form of protest.
Video footage captured Lee rushing the stage and tackling Chappelle during his performance. A fake gun with a hidden knife fell out of Lee’s pocket during the attack, although it was not used. Chappelle, fortunately, was unharmed and continued his show.
The Incident
During a show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in May 2022, Chapelle was attacked by a man rushing the stage and attempting to tackle him.
Though Chapelle came out unscathed and quickly got back up and pushed Lee away from him, while security chased Lee down, some even fell down in the process.
What’s ironic is that in Chapelle’s Stick and Stones special back in 2019, he talked about his fear of being attacked and just a few years after it happened in front of a huge audience. He said that,
I’m just afraid of being attacked. It happens to the best of us. Don’t ever forget what happened to that French actor… You know who I’m talking about. Jussie Smollett, he’s a very French… A very famous French actor.
Jussie Smollett’s incident was later proven to be a hoax and was sentenced to 150 days in county jail and tow and a half years of probation. Smollett was also fined with thousands of dollars.
Lee’s Motivations
Isiah Lee explained that his reason for the assault was because he felt a mix of personal triggers and a sense of unfairness which led to him rushing the comedian.
I identify as bisexual … and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering (…) I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect.
Lee was sentenced to assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a weapon with intent to harm, and trespassing onto the stage during a performance. The judge granted Lee a mental health diversion and waived his speedy trial rights for two years.
A few months ago, Lee was released from jail and came to Lake Hughes Recovery Center in California. That is he had to follow a few conditions.
- A no contact and stay away order from Chappelle
- Lee can’t possess any dangerous weapons or consume any controlled substance or alcohol
- He can’t be at any place where alcohol is primarily served, like a bar
- Lee must pay restitution to the victim in an amount to be determined
Chappelle’s Controversial Remarks
Chappelle’s comedy has often stirred controversy, particularly regarding his jokes about the LGBTQ+ community. He faced backlash over his Netflix comedy special, “The Closer,” where he made comments perceived as transphobic.
In “The Closer,” Chappelle expressed his views on gender and transgender issues. He defended his stance, stating that he does not hate transgender people and only shared stories about his interactions with the community.
Chappelle’s remarks led to protests from Netflix staff and sparked outrage on social media. Despite the controversy, Chappelle remained firm in his views and reiterated his support for individuals like JK Rowling.
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