Howard Stern: Hollywood is ‘f–ked up’ for Dave Chappelle vs. Will Smith response

Howard Stern: Hollywood is ‘f–ked up’ for Dave Chappelle vs. Will Smith response

He gave a Stern lecture.

Radio icon Howard Stern is tearing into Tinseltown, claiming they’re treating Oscar slapper Will Smith differently compared to Dave Chappelle’s recently-identified attacker.

The 68-year-old shock jock criticized the supposed showbiz double standard during a Wednesday episode of “The Howard Stern Show.”

“This guy jumped up on stage and attacked Dave Chappelle,” Stern fumed into the mic, Mediaite reported. “As soon as that happened, did they let him go back to his seat and laugh and sit next to his wife and then give them an award? No! They took him backstage, they broke his arms and hands so bad.”

He added, “They f—king beat the s–t out of him.”

Radio and television personality Howard Stern is seen arriving to the ABC studio for GMA on May 09, 2019 in New York City.Radio and television personality Howard Stern called out the treatment of Will Smith versus Dave Chappelle.GC ImagesDave Chappelle looks on during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 20, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.Dave Chappelle was attacked Tuesday night during a comedy show.Getty Images

Stern was referring to the viral incident in which Isaiah Lee, 23, tackled the “Half Baked” star while armed with a blade-firing fake gun during the “Netflix Is a Joke” festival in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl. The assailant was subsequently beaten to a pulp by security and arrested while A-list celebs including Chris Rock and Jamie Foxx tended to Chappelle. Lee has since been charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon.

Needless to say, Stern found it hypocritical that the same standards didn’t apply to the 54-year-old “Ali” actor following his infamous Oscars slap at Chris Rock.

“Unlike the Academy Awards, Jamie Foxx came running out on stage and helped Dave Chappelle,” the entertainer ranted. “At the Academy Awards, everyone came over and consoled Will Smith — because it was live television and Hollywood didn’t know what to do about Will Smith.”

Stern saw a double standard.Stern saw a double standard.FilmMagicThe slap.The slap.AFP via Getty Images

Indeed, following the Smackademy Awards — in which the “Hancock” star slapped Rock for making a bald crack about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia — Smith was allowed to stay at the event and accept the Best Actor Oscar, for which he received a standing ovation. And, in a complete 180 from the Chappelle attack, Smith was comforted by celebs instead of his victim.

Naturally, some might find it unsurprising that an Oscar-winning actor was treated differently than a non-celebrity. However, Stern maintained that Hollywood shouldn’t “treat Will Smith any different than they did the Chappelle attacker.”

“The audience at the Oscars gave Will Smith a standing ovation after the attack, that’s the truth,” the radio personality vented. “It’s on film, it’s not fake news. They didn’t break Will’s hands, they shook them and it’s wrong.”

Dave Chappelle speaks onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.Dave Chappelle immediately cracked a joke after the attack.Getty Images for The Rock and Ro

In summary, Stern found the discrepancy in consequences indicative of “how f–ked up Hollywood is.”

“Some people in the audience at the Academy Awards still should be very ashamed of themselves. I hope they are,” he said.

Of course, Smith’s deed didn’t go entirely unpunished: In April, the “I Am Legend” actor was slapped with a ten-year ban from the Academy Awards ceremony.

As for Chappelle and Tuesday’s incident, he’s not shaken up.

“The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,” his rep, Carla Sims, told the Hollywood Reporter. “Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first ‘Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival,’ and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.”