‘No one is safe’: Dave Chapel attack worries artists

Perhaps the biggest recurring theme in comedy in recent years has been comedians concerned that acting is no longer a safe creative space, that some fans control the choppy content and are always willing to tweet about an actor. . perceived lines. Many began confiscating phones before the play, probably convinced that the biggest threat to them was the Galaxy and the secretly hidden iPhones.

But the scene seems to be an increasingly dangerous space in a much more direct sense.

The world was shocked when Will Smith attacked Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars in March. In another security breach of the scene, although the comedian was not attacked during the performance, actress Olivia Wilde confronted CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the process server who was issuing divorce papers to her husband, Jason Sudeikis, who said not know the documents. And the following Tuesday, Dave Chapel was attacked by a gunman who jumped on stage while filming his Hollywood curtsy at the Netflix Is a Joke Comedy Festival.

After the Oscars, several comedians expressed concern that Smith’s actions could lead to further attacks on stage. ““Now we all have to think about who will be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters,” said Katie Griffin.

The concern seemed unwarranted: the Oscar incident was so shocking. But now, with Chappelle under attack, concerns are mounting over the safety of live performers.

“The first response was ‘Here we go again,’ the second response was ‘Nobody is safe,'” said Kurt Shaw Flagg, president of The Laugh Factory Chicago, which has already seen an increase in unruly consumer behavior during the pandemic. Try carrying the stage in your club). “We leave the comedians completely exposed. We give them the right to make their creative speech on stage, but we don’t take the necessary steps to ensure they are protected. The security team is accused of not taking adequate measures to ensure [attackers] not even arrived [the comics]. This is his only work and it looks like it was a complete failure.”

Comedy Cellar owner Noah Dworman didn’t think the Oscar incident would inspire more attacks on comedians, but now he’s not so sure.

“What happened to Dave is, in fact, far more worrisome. [than Smith striking Rock]And it goes beyond comedy”, says Dvorman throughout the text. “It was not a spontaneous reaction to a perceived minor, no matter how bad. It was premeditated and dangerous, and it appears to be part of a general trend of violence that is seeping into many segments of American life. I’m really, really happy that you’re okay. We always have security in the basement, but of course we will be careful.”

For its part, Netflix has not publicly committed to increasing security at its current stand-up event, but has issued the following statement: No fear of violence.

Chapelle also released a statement saying it “refuses to overshadow the magic of this historic moment in last night’s incident”. After the 2021 Special Auction CloserCriticized by many as transphobic and teased by the Streamer team, the comedian made a seemingly prescient comment: “You said you wanted a safe work environment at Netflix. “Well, looks like I’m the only one who can’t go to the office.”

The comedians were almost completely silent on Twitter after the incident, perhaps because they didn’t want to appear on behalf of Chapel, who is highly respected in the industry. But conservative comedian Nick Di Paolo, who says he was punched onstage in 2018, addressed the matter on his podcast on Wednesday.

“Since Will Smith planted the seeds in the hazelnut heads, this has been copied,” Di Paolo said (the suspect’s motive is still unknown). “This is like any other crime… My comedians, protect yourselves.”

Flag points out that several steps can be taken to strengthen security and notes that he is talking to others in the comedy space who are also taking these steps.

First, interestingly, viewers may need to be reminded before the show that comedy doesn’t mean literally or in person (“[Attackers feel] In general, “I don’t like this joke, I feel insulted, so now I’m going to escalate the situation and fight something verbal with something physical… There should be better communication before buying tickets”, he says. After that, the problem becomes logistical: ensuring the gun doesn’t fall into the hallway, having adequate protection on hand, and creating space or obstacles (like an elevated stage) between fans and talent.

“It’s really not fair to comedians as professionals, you have to give them a chance to try and fail,” Flegg said. “Not all pranks will work, someone will probably not like it, but the main thing is to have fun. The reaction they want is a smile, a laugh, a happiness. They won’t start a fight, or even an argument. I think it somehow got lost in translation.”