After being attacked on stage at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night, Dave Chappelle made a “trans remark” that has caused quite an uproar on social media.
While performing at the Netflix is a Joke festival at the Hollywood Bowl, stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle was suddenly attacked by Isaiah Lee, 23.
In many videos posted by attendees of the festival, Lee was seen storming the stage and slamming into Chappelle while carrying a fake handgun with an actual knife inside.
Chappelle referred to Lee as a ‘trans man’ after attack
After security quickly apprehended Lee, Chappelle made a few remarks regarding the attacker and what had just happened, which included the joke – “It was a trans man!”
The comic’s choice phrase had many people quick to call him out for using transgender folk as the butt of his joke.
Fans called out Chappelle for encouraging transgender hate
Although a chaotic situation, Chappelle’s remark of calling the attacker a trans man after regaining his composure did not go unnoticed.
“Dave [Chappelle] got tackled during his encore and the FIRST thing he did was make a joke saying the attacker was trans….. As far as I know they weren’t trans but of course he had to throw us all under the bus for a giggle from the crowd,” one Twitter user wrote.
“I thought getting tackled by a crazy person with a gun would finally give Dave Chappelle something new to talk about, but as soon as he got the mic back and calmed down the first thing he did was joke about trans people. ‘Greatest comedian of all time’, folks…” another user tweeted similarly.
Dave Jorgenson of The Washington Post gave his two cents on the matter: “Nothing about the Dave Chappelle attack is fun. The attack itself. The beatdown. The ‘trans man’ quip. The reaction on [Twitter]. It all just sucks.”
“Dave Chappelle got big cheap laughs from the audience after the attack by calling the suspect a ‘trans man,’ but did himself no favors in doing so. I’m glad he’s OK, but saying that –even if true– was not OK,” another user tweeted in regards to the remark.
Journalist Ernest Owens also chimed in with his lack of remorse for the comedian. “If you think I’m going to feel sorry for that transphobe Dave Chappelle, please don’t. The moment security protects him from the attack, he immediately jokes it was a transgender man (it wasn’t) — but it’s clear he will continue to put a target on trans people regardless.”
According to Page Six, the reason behind Isaiah Lee’s attack is unclear and he is currently in jail on a $30,000 bail.
What’s to say?! The show must go on, the jokes continued. Curtain drops, we all go home. How do you think an audience would like it if I were to jump up on stage during a scene in a play because I didn’t agree with what the player was reciting or acting through?! Its just as absurd to interrupt an artist when reciting his material, on-stage, in a production by PHYSICALLY disparaging him or her! If you don’t like the liberality of stand-up comedy, nor enjoy your ‘Freedom Of Speech’, then STAY-THE-HELL-HOME!