The 23-year-old man who attacked Dave Chappelle mid-set at The Hollywood Bowl on May 6, Isaiah Lee, is speaking out about what motivated him to tackle the comedian. In an interview with the New York Post, Lee admitted he was offended by a joke Chappelle made about the LGBTQ+ community.
“I identify as bisexual, and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering,” Lee said from 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.”
Lee, who was once homeless, added he was also triggered by another joke Chappelle dolled out about homelessness, explaining, “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.”
But the final straw was something Chappelle said about pedophilia, which Lee said dredged up memories of the molestation he experienced as a teen. Lee admitted he was carrying a replica handgun with a retractable knife inside the night of the attack but denied having it on him when he bulldozed the illustrious comic.
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Lee was charged with four misdemeanors: battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, gaining unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance and commission of an act that delays an event or interferes with a performer.
But on Thursday (May 19), Lee was hit with a much more serious charge unrelated to the case — attempted murder. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Lee stabbed his ex-roommate in December 2021, which wasn’t unveiled to the public until the Chappelle incident. As D.A. George Gascón explained, “The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime.”
