‘Was that Will Smith?’: Chris Rock jokes after Dave Chappelle attacked at Netflix comedy festival
Chris Rock apparently cracked a Will Smith joke after Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage in Los Angeles by an audience member last night (3 May).
The comedians were performing at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix is a Joke festival when a man “ran on-stage and lunged at [Chappelle] knocking him to the floor,” US reporter Sharon Carpenter, who was in attendance, tweeted.
According to eyewitnesses, Rock then joined Chappelle on stage after security subdued the man and took him away.
“Dave Chappelle got tackled to the ground on stage! Then Chris Rock came out and said, ‘was it Will Smith?!’ The wildest s***, I have ever seen!” author Julissa Arce wrote on Twitter.
The story was corroborated on Twitter by numerous others who were in attendance. Footage of the incident is limited due to phones being banned for the duration of the shows, but the moment has since been shared online by TikTok user @rebhorn.
The Independent has reached out to representatives for Rock for further confirmation.
Rock was famously slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars ceremony last month, after the comedian joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved haircut.
The incident caused widespread condemnation of Smith’s behaviour. He resigned from the Academy a few days later.
Chappelle was also joined on stage by Jamie Foxx, a video showed, whom he thanked for rushing on stage and helping him during the attack.
“Whenever you’re in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff’s hat,” Chappelle joked.
Immediately after, Chappelle made another joke about the attacked being a “trans man”, which has attracted criticism on social media.
The Netflix is a Joke festival is scheduled to continue this week.
