Kevin Hart praises Dave Chappelle for his ‘professional’ response to onstage attack
Actor and comedian Kevin Hart has praised fellow comic Dave Chappelle for his “professional” response to the onstage attack earlier this week.
Happelle, 48, was performing as part of the Netflix Is A Joke festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Tuesday night when a man rushed onto the stage and attacked him.
In a speech on US chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live, Hart praised Chappelle for handling the attack and continuing his performance.
Hart, 42, told Mike Birbiglia – who is filling in for Jimmy Kimmel while he has Covid: “Dave went back after that and finished the show. Didn’t let the thing grow.
“Quickly got off that and went back to comedy, and that’s what a pro does.
“Ultimately, these moments of unprofessionalism should not destroy the professionals.”
Actor Jamie Foxx reportedly joined Chappelle on stage and helped apprehend the alleged assailant before the performance resumed.
The attacker, identified as Isaiah Lee, 23, was later charged with four misdemeanors: battery, possession of a weapon with intent to attack, gaining unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance and committing an act that delays or interferes with an event involving a performer.
Hart also called for more respect for comedians and live acts, saying, “It’s time to go back to a place of respect for your live entertainer.”
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The Jumanji actor said, “Someone who gets their butt whipped sends a message to other people that’s like, ‘You know, I’ve been thinking about it, but when I see that, I don’t really want to do that.’
“I think in the world we’re in right now, a lot of the lines are blurring, and sometimes you have to take a few steps back to take a few steps forward.”
Chappelle previously struggled with comments about transgender people on his Netflix comedy special, The Closer.
The comedian said “gender is a fact” and shared his support for JK Rowling, who has also been criticized for her comments about the concept of biological sex.
Hart recalled an incident when he was hit by a “buffalo wing” at one of his live shows, and described it as the “worst” heckling experience he’d had.
Conclude
Comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage while performing in Los Angeles earlier this week (David Richard/AP)
He said: “But here’s what people have forgotten: In stand-up comedy, it’s always been the world of hecklers and comedians.
“Comedian was always dealing with hecklers, heckler was always shouting things out because he felt like he could.
“A comedian’s way of ending this was to say things back. It wasn’t bullying. It didn’t peck. It was all done for fun.
“We’ve now lost sight of the relationship between audience and comedian, and that line is blurred.
“So when I say we need to go back to where we respect the entertainer, respect the craft. If you come, come and have a good time and enjoy the person you saw; if you are not interested in it, you do not need to buy a ticket.”
Chappelle released a statement through his rep, noting that his four-day run at the Hollywood Bowl ties him to Monty Python for the most-headlined shows of any comedian at the famous venue, adding that he refuses to let that happen “the incident overshadowed the magic”. of the historical moment.
The attack on Chappelle came after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars over a joke the comic made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/kevin-hart-praises-dave-chappelle-for-professional-response-to-on-stage-attack-41620305.html Kevin Hart praises Dave Chappelle for his ‘professional’ response to onstage attack
