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Kevin Hart thinks stand-up comedians deserve more “respect”.
Kevin Hart has called for respect for comedians
The 42-year-old star believes the recent incident involving fellow comedian Dave Chappelle is something that “needed to happen” and Kevin hopes that it marks a turning point for the stand-up industry.
He explained: “Somebody getting their a** 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.’”
Dave, 48, was recently tackled to the ground as he performed as part of the ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ festival.
However, the intruder was quickly stopped by security guards and members of Dave’s team as he attempted to flee the stage.
Reflecting on the controversy, Kevin said on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’: “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.”
Kevin also praised Dave for retaining his composure and finishing his routine.
He said: “Dave went back after that and finished doing the show. And didn’t let that thing be a big thing. He quickly moved on from it and got back to doing comedy and that’s what a professional does.
“Ultimately, these moments of unprofessionalism should not break professionals. They shouldn’t shape or mould the world that we’re not being seen or viewed in. So I think it’s time to get back to a place of respect for your live entertainer.”
Meanwhile, Dave previously insisted he wouldn’t let the “unfortunate and unsettling” attack “overshadow” his history-making Hollywood Bowl show.
A spokesperson said: “This run ties Chappelle with ‘Monty Python’ for the most-headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70,000 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.”