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by YOLANDA BARUCH May 7, 2022 ------------------------- KEVIN HART‘s comments about comedian DAVE CHAPPELLE‘s attack by a crazed fan at the Hollywood Bowl drew some attention when he

appeared on _Jimmy Kimmel Live_ Thursday show and said that it “needed to happen,” according to Huffington Post.   Hart spoke to MIKE BIRBIGLIA, who was subbing as a guest host on the

late-night talk show as Kimmel recovers from contracting COVID-19. During their interview, Birbiglia segued into the Chappelle incident, saying it was scary. Hart disagreed with a shrug,

“Not scary…somebody ran on stage and got their ass whooped.” [embedded content] The _DC League of Super-Pets_ actor went on to say, “It’s one of those things that needed to happen, though,

right.” An incredulous Birbiglia repeatedly exclaimed “No!” causing Hart to elucidate his comments, Entertainment Weekly reports. > “Mike, do you want people to continue to think they can

 cross that > line? And break the barrier…?” Hart inquired. “Somebody > getting their ass whipped sends a message out to the other people > — like, you know, ‘I was thinking about 

doing that, but after > seeing that, I don’t really wanna do that.'” Hart added, “I think the world that we’re in right now, there’s a lot of lines that have gotten blurred, and

sometimes you gotta take a couple steps backwards to take a couple steps forward. And I think that moment that we just witnessed with Dave is fogging up a bigger moment.” Ironically, ISAIAH

LEE, 23, charged the stage as Chappelle concluded his routine with an observation that comedians are now concerned about their safety after WILL SMITH and CHRIS ROCK‘s altercation at the

94th Academy Awards. Rock made a crack at Smith’s wife, actress JADA PINKETT SMITH, and the _King Richard_ actor slapped him on stage. Chappelle’s lawyer requested a protective order against

Lee, who is still in jail, to stay at least 100 yards away from the stand-up comic, USA Today reports. Police authorities released images of the weapon Lee was carrying, a replica handgun

that shielded a large blade that folded akin to a pocket knife. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will not charge Lee with a felony and transferred his case to the LA city

attorney’s office, which charged him with the four misdemeanors, according to USA Today. “After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the

evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct,” the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in an official statement. Security guards and celebrities like actor JAMIE

FOXX and hip hop legend BUSTA RHYMES came to Chappelle’s aid on stage to fight Lee off. In the aftermath, the comedian appeared unfazed by the ordeal and even cracked a transphobic joke

about his attacker despite the controversy he faced for his recent comedy special_ Closer _on Netflix, Entertainment Weekly reports.   “Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and

music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl.… and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,” CARLA SIMS,

Chappelle’s publicist, said in a statement sent to EW.  > “As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went > on with the show.”