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Dave Chappelle’s Attacker Says LGBTQ Jokes Triggered Him

By Oreoritse Tariemi

23 May 2022   |   10:22 am

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Isaiah Lee, Dave Chappelle's attacker, has claimed that the comedian's LGBTQ jokes triggered his attack against him (Chappelle).  Accused of attacking Chappelle on stage earlier this month, Lee said he found the comedian's jokes about the LGBT community "triggering". Speaking to The New York Post from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Lee said, "I identify…

performs onstage at the Hollywood Palladium at Hollywood Palladium on March 25, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.

Isaiah Lee, Dave Chappelle’s attacker, has claimed that the comedian’s LGBTQ jokes triggered his attack against him (Chappelle). 

Accused of attacking Chappelle on stage earlier this month, Lee said he found the comedian’s jokes about the LGBT community “triggering”.

Speaking to The New York Post from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Lee said, “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.”

Charged with assault with a deadly weapon, Lee was arrested after tackling Chappelle during his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

The L.A police confirmed that Lee was armed with a replica gun “that can eject a knife blade” when discharged correctly.

According to the police, Chappelle had finished his act and was exiting the stage when a male member of the audience went on the platform and tackled Chappelle to the ground.

However, while admitting to carrying the weapon into the event, Lee claimed that he didn’t have the weapon out when he charged the stage, noting that he had no intention of harming Chappelle. 

As the footage of the attack went viral, more charges were made against Lee, who had earlier been accused of stabbing his roommate during a fight at a transitional housing apartment on December 2nd last year.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón revealed that “the publicity generated by the attack on Mr Chappelle helped police solve this crime.”

In the Chappelle case, Lee is facing four misdemeanour charges. All charges against him have been dismissed. Lee’s lawyer, Chelsea Padilla, told a judge that he is undergoing mental health treatment from a local nonprofit group.

Chappelle has faced backlash from the LGBTQ community since his Netflix Special The Closer aired on October 5th. The special features Dave Chappelle’s views on transgender rights and identity, which many members of the LGBTQ community have described as offensive.