Dave Chappelle's Accused Attacker Reveals His Motives
On May 3, stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked by an audience member while performing his set at the Netflix Is A Joke Fest — an incident that left many reeling. "This alleged attack has got to have consequences and this afternoon my office has filed charges alleging battery, possession of a weapon with the intent to assault, and charges related to interfering with a performance," Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer later said in a public statement. "My office takes protecting public safety extremely seriously and we are going to vigorously prosecute this case," he vowed. Meanwhile, Netflix also publicly condemned the act of violence. "We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence," the streaming service said in a statement to ABC News.
But now the accused attacker is finally speaking out and revealing what he says prompted him to behave so violently in the first place.
Isaiah Lee says he was triggered by Dave Chappelle's jokes
Accused attacker Isaiah Lee says he was triggered by comedian and actor Dave Chappelle.
According to Lee, he was in attendance at the May 3 Netflix comedy festival hoping to have a "good time" but all hope was quickly squashed once Chappelle started rolling out jokes at the expense of the LGBTQ community and those without adequate housing. "I identify as bisexual ... and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering," Lee told the New York Post while in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. "I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect," he added. Lee also revealed that the jokes about homelessness were particularly triggering as he has been without housing in the past. "It's a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know it's not a joke," he explained. But the final straw was when Chappelle made a flippant joke about pedophilia — something Lee found to be extremely provoking as he was molested as a teenager.
Lee also said that immediately after the incident he told the comedian that Lee's mother and grandmother, who fought for Chappelle's civil rights, would be upset by his remarks to which Chappelle allegedly shot back, "Now your story will die with you, son." Still, Lee doesn't see it that way. "I'm sitting here talking to you about it," he contended.