Dave Chappelle abruptly ends show, walks off stage after fan pulls out phone during Florida gig: report
Comedian Dave Chappelle stormed off the stage during his gig at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida when he caught a fan in the crowd using his cell phone.
Chappelle, 50, was performing the second night of a five-night stand at the 7,000-seat venue when the incident occurred Wednesday night, according to the Miami Herald.
The “Half Baked” actor alerted the man to security before scolding the audience and walking off the stage, shaking his head disappointedly, the outlet added.
The venue’s policy is that “device and electronics free, per the artist’s request,” meaning anything that could be used to record Chappelle’s set should have been out of sight for the duration of the show, according to Hard Rock Live’s website.
Fans are required to leave their electronics, such as cellphones, smartwatches, and cameras, secured in Yondr neoprene pouches to prevent noisy guests from recording the performance.
Chappelle has not addressed the incident, but fans expressed their frustration over the rude fan’s behavior.
“Few things make you more misanthropic than going to a theater. I saw Dave Chappelle at the Hard Rock tonight and he (rightfully so) dropped the mic and stormed off the stage. My favorite comedian ever, my first time seeing him I was so excited and some p—s had to self-insert,” one fan said on X.
“Some f—king a—hole pulled out his phone at the #DaveChappelle show at the Hollywood Hard Rock,” another fan posted.
If the locked bag wasn’t enough to dissuade fans from using their devices, DJ Trauma, who provided the on-stage introductions for Chappelle, warned audience members before the show that phones were not allowed and they would be kicked out if they were caught using them, according to Fox 29.
The Hard Rock Live is nearly 20 miles north of Miami Beach.
This isn’t “The Chappelle Show” actor’s first run-in with an unruly fan at one of his shows.
A deranged fan attacked Chappelle while he was performing on stage in Los Angeles in May 2022.
Footage captured Isaiah Lee, 23, storming the stage during the comedian’s set at the Hollywood Bowl and slamming the unsuspecting funnyman to the ground while in the middle of a joke.
Lee told the Post that he was “triggered” by the comedian’s jokes about the LGBTQ community and homelessness — insisting he never wanted to harm the funnyman.
He admitted that he was carrying a replica handgun with a retractable knife inside on the night of the alleged attack, but claimed he didn’t have the weapon out when he charged the stage.
Lee was initially arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon. He later had his charges downgraded to misdemeanor battery.
In October, fans reportedly walked out during the comedian’s show at TD Garden in Boston after he criticized the United States for backing Israel’s “war crimes” against Palestinians during his performance.
Chappelle condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left some 1,400 Israelis dead — but blasted what he claimed were Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, sparking some pushback from the crowd.
An audience member allegedly told Chappelle to “shut up” after he said he didn’t think people should lose their jobs for supporting Palestinians during his set.
