Dave Chappelle is reflecting on a defining and unexpected moment from his past, saying Diddy saved his life during the now-notorious onstage attack at the Hollywood Bowl.
In his new Netflix stand-up special, Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…, the comedian addressed the criticism he recently faced after saying he hoped Diddy might “get off” amid his sex trafficking and racketeering trial. According to Chappelle, that comment comes from a personal experience many people seem to have overlooked.
“I was on stage not long ago in the States and people got mad because I said maybe Puff will get off,” Chappelle said. “It’s not that I think Puff is right, but when I got attacked in L.A. at the Hollywood Bowl, people forget Puff was the guy that tackled my attacker. He saved my life.”
Chappelle was referring to the 2022 incident when a man ran onstage and assaulted him during a performance. He explained that while security was present, they were slow to react, leaving room for Diddy to step in immediately.
“I had security that night, but they just wasn’t ready,” Chappelle joked. “They ran out, all them slipped and fell. Puffy got my attacker and tackled him.”
He then shifted into his signature dark humor, connecting the chaotic scene to later headlines surrounding Combs. Touching on allegations involving large amounts of baby oil seized during federal raids, Chappelle leaned into the absurdity of it all.
“Years later, when I heard about that baby oil, I was like, what did those dudes slip on? A thousand bottles of baby oil,” Chappelle joked. “That’s a lot. It’s not illegal. It’s gross, but it’s not a crime.”
While Chappelle has poked fun at Diddy’s controversies in other routines, this moment made it clear that recognizing Diddy’s actions that night doesn’t excuse any alleged wrongdoing, but it does affect how he feels.
“That’s a hard dude to be mad at after that,” Chappelle said.
