Lee rushed the stage and tackled Chappelle during the Netflix Is a Joke live comedy show while carrying a replica gun that could eject a knife blade, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue felony charges for Lee, who ultimately pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and trespassing in a restricted area, as Entertainment Weekly reported. Lee is set to serve 270 days in county jail and the weapon will be destroyed, a representative from the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office told EW. He still faces one attempted murder charge from an unrelated incident in which he allegedly stabbed his roommate with the aforementioned weapon.
Lee was held on $30,000 bail by the LAPD pending charges in May. He told Page Six that he was triggered by Chappelle’s transphobic, homophobic, and pedophilia jokes. Related Watch Elon Musk Get Booed Loudly at Dave Chappelle Show When Invited Onstage Jon Stewart Defends Dave Chappelle from Antisemitism Controversy: ‘Censorship’ Is the Wrong Approach Related 7 New Netflix Shows in October 2022 – and the Best Reasons to Watch Guillermo del Toro’s Favorite Movies: 45 Films the Director Wants You to See“I identify as bisexual and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering,” Lee stated. “I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect. I’m also a single dad and my son is five. It’s a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know it’s not a joke.” Chappelle later met with Lee and allegedly discussed how gentrification displaced his grandmother and how the attack drew attention to Lee’s cause. Chappelle’s representative issued a statement following the attack. “The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,” Chappelle’s representative said at the time. “Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.” Following the attack, Chappelle told Jamie Foxx onstage, “Whenever you’re in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff’s hat.” Foxx joked that he thought Lee rushing the stage was part of the show. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
