Isaiah Lee, the man that attacked Dave Chappelle on stage May 3, identifies as bisexual and reportedly blames the comedian’s LGBTQ jokes for the incident, claiming that they “triggered” him.
Lee said he never meant to harm Chappelle. During an interview with the New York Post from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, he pushed the message that Chappelle should be more “sensitive” about the nature of his jokes.
“I identify as bisexual … and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering,” Lee said, according to the New York Post. “I wanted him to know that next time he should consider first running his material by people it could affect.”
Isaiah Lee is opening more about why he allegedly attacked Dave Chappelle, and it would appear DC’s LGBT jokes are at the core of it. https://t.co/z3qYJtsypq
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 23, 2022
Lee provided insight about his past struggles in life and stated that he was homeless at one point in his life.
“I’m also a single dad and my son is five,” Lee said, according to the New York Post. “It’s a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know it’s not a joke.”
He said that after attending the “Netflix is a Joke” show he had hoped to be entertained and have a “good time,” but that he was troubled by Chappelle’s content.
It apparently all became too much to handle for Lee when another comedian at the show joked about pedophilia. Lee claimed a joke stirred up trauma of his own molestation as a teen, which contributed to his reaction in that moment. (RELATED: Dave Chappelle Breaks His Silence After Being Attacked Onstage)
The publicity that followed the Chappelle incident helped lead to Isaiah Lee’s identification and arrest in the previous attack, prosecutors said. https://t.co/qr2A2ckL0Y
— billboard (@billboard) May 20, 2022
During the interview, Lee, 23, denied having any mental health issues. His lawyer reportedly insists he is receiving mental health assistance.
Lee is facing four misdemeanor counts, including battery and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault, according to the New York Post.