Attack on comedian Dave Chappelle no joke

LOS ANGELES: A man armed with a replica gun that works like a knife tackled comedian Dave Chappelle as he performed a stand-up set in Los Angeles this week, police said.

Video footage circulating on social media shows that as the comedian was finishing a set during the Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival at the Hollywood Bowl, a male audience member climbed on stage and threw him to the ground.

The attacker then ran behind a screen on stage and was detained by security guards. Chappelle, 48, has recently attracted protests for jokes seen to be transphobic but the motive for this attack was not known. Chappelle was not injured.

The Los Angeles police department said the assailant was carrying a replica gun that can discharge a knife blade. He has been identified as Isaiah Lee, 23, and charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Video footage shows the attacker being taken away on a stretcher. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment, Lomeli said.