Comedy

The Laugh Factory, one of the meccas of standup comedy in Los Angeles, is beefing up security ... and it's in response to the attack on Dave Chappelle and the Oscars slap.

Honchos at the famous comedy venue on Sunset Blvd. tell TMZ not only have they put up a sign in support of Dave, but they're also going to great lengths to protect comics after what happened during Dave's set Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

Remember ... an attacker jumped on stage and lunged at Dave, slamming him to the ground before running around the stage and eventually catching a beating. The guy had a replica gun with a real knife attachment.

We're told the new security plan at the Laugh Factory features more security guards both inside and outside the venue, including plainclothes guards in the crowd tasked with preventing anyone from rushing the stage.

Somehow, Dave's attacker got the gun/knife into the Hollywood Bowl and past metal detectors, and we're told the Laugh Factory is now using a metal detector at the front door for the first time ever.

The Chappelle attack also prompted a staff meeting at the Laugh Factory ... with leadership blaming the incident on the Will Smith slap at the Oscars, seeing it as some sort of copycat effect, combined with a lack of criminal charges for Will.

This photo shows how scary it must have been for Dave Chappelle Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl, because the gun/knife that was thrust toward him looked like it could have fatal consequences.

The knife is affixed to the barrel of the gun, like a bayonet. As we reported, the gun was a replica but the knife is real ... real deadly if the attacker had actually used it when he jumped on stage and lunged at Dave, slamming him to the ground.

The big question ... how on earth did the 23-year-old assailant get the gun/knife past the metal detector? Our LAPD sources say there was one entrance area where the metal detector could be circumvented. That itself is a HUGE problem.

As you know, a bunch of people, including Jamie Foxx and Busta Rhymes, pounded on the guy ... who was injured and taken to the hospital. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

Dave continued his show and was uninjured, but he was clearly shaken up.

The moment Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage in front of thousands of fans was crazy as hell ... so says former NFL star Marcellus Wiley who tells TMZ Sports he was in the building for the whole thing!!

We spoke with the star of FS1's "Speak For Yourself" ... who wasn't the only celeb in attendance, and he told us the scary incident unfolded right in front of his own eyes.

"Yea, I was in the building man, and it was crazy to be there," Wiley said. "Lot of stars in the building, but the moment it occurred is crazy 'cause it was time to leave. Dave was leaving the stage and coming back for an encore."

Wiley says he was eagerly awaiting the musical act Chappelle was introducing, Black Star, when suddenly, a guy from the crowd rushed the stage and attacked the comedian.

"Now, I'm gonna say he missed his moment, too, because he missed that tackle," the ex-NFL star said. "As a former football player, he could have got a lot cleaner hit, but he's not a former linebacker. But, he tackled Dave, and then next thing you know, the dude gets up, takes off running thinking he Barry Sanders."

He continued ... "And boy, that's when security started working. About 50 people -- including Dave, Jamie Foxx -- you just saw everyone just bum rush this dude in the corner right in the back. It took about 3-5 minutes to finally get the dude out of there. It was a lot of elbows, a lot of stomping, and a lot of people who were upset at that moment."

Of course, we had to ask Marcellus if he initially believed the attack was fake ... a skit of sorts aimed at poking fun at Will Smith's attack on Chris Rock at the Oscars.

"In the moment I was like, 'Yo, that's crazy,'" Wiley said. "Then I was like 'Yo, that's some Will Smith stuff.'" Wiley admits he thought Chappelle was making light of the Smith incident, but quickly realized that wasn't the case when he saw the beatdown the attacker was receiving.

Despite the chaotic scene, Marcellus told us the craziest part of the night wasn't even the guy getting hammered after the failed ambush attack.

No magic tricks necessary for Penn & Teller's big unmasking moment on "The Masked Singer" -- instead, it was a laborious process full of panic and mayhem!!!

Our sources say when the legendary comedy duo was revealed as the celebs inside the Hydra costume, stagehands had an issue deconstructing the costume at the moment of truth.

We're told it was a chaotic scene backstage, with folks scrambling to figure out what to do, and in the end ... the costume department made a very last-minute decision to completely cut off the middle head of the three-headed costume.

Our sources say the head was literally sawed-off ... and it basically ruined the costume.

Besides hacking off the head, we're told the costume department accidentally sliced a wire cutting off all the electricity used for Hydra ... making the eyeballs that once lit up completely useless.

Now, all this drama mostly played out off-screen when Penn & Teller were revealed earlier this season -- and our sources say producers panicked when they saw the head being sliced off. Despite the big reveal, they still had more filming to do with the costume -- like reshoots, promos and cutaway camera angles.

Fortunately, the wardrobe department's really handy with superglue -- we're told they meticulously pieced together Hydra's head, and it actually worked!!!

The same guy who allegedly rushed Dave Chappelle on stage also used the comedian as the inspiration behind his own rap career ... naming a song after DC.

You heard that right ... Isaiah Lee, the 23-year-old allegedly responsible for the attack, is a self-proclaimed rapper by the name of NoName_Trapper. He actually has a song on his 2020 album titled, "Dave Chapelle' on Spotify.

The song's lyrics are puzzling, mostly repeating, "laugh at you n****s a joke."

Lee also has a decent social media following, with 32k followers, and only follows 80 people ... Dave being one of them. He posted a bizarre video of himself yesterday with a filter to give himself a bloody nose and devil horns.

As we reported, Lee rushed and tackled Dave while he was onstage at The Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night -- holding what we're told was a replica gun and knife.

Dave Chapelle took a hard hit and fell to the ground, before Dave's team stepped in and gave the guy a severe beatdown ... Jamie Foxx was also in the melee, and got some hits in too.

Dave Chappelle's Hollywood Bowl performance Tuesday night came to a temporary screeching halt when someone rushed the stage and attacked the comedian, and it was especially scary because we've learned the guy pulled out a gun.

It went down toward the end of Dave's show -- part of the "Netflix Is A Joke" festival -- when a man in the audience somehow got on stage and manhandled Dave, tackling him violently and slamming him on the hard stage.

Law enforcement tells TMZ, the attacker actually pointed the gun at Chappelle as he rushed him. We're told the gun was not real, it was a replica of a semi-automatic. It also weirdly had a knife attached to the gun.

And ... the question cops are asking this AM ... how did this guy get past the metal detector?

An eyewitness tells TMZ ... the attacker got up and started running as a swarm of people went after him. He was running around the screen on the stage when, as the eyewitness put it, "the mob caught up with him and beat the crap out of him, stomping on him." The eyewitness says Jamie Foxx and Busta Rhymes got a few licks in.

We're told Dave was ok but the attacker was injured and taken by stretcher to an ambulance. We're told he's currently in the hospital. LAPD sources tell us, the man was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

Dave continued with his act, telling the audience, "I don't know if that was part of the show. I grabbed the back of that n***** head, his hair was spongy, absorbent."

Now get this ... after the attack, guess who was there? Chris Rock! He was one of Dave's special guests. As Chris walked on stage, he hugged his pal and said, "Was that Will Smith?"

It's unclear who the attacker is or why he did it, but the show went on as planned.

Before this cute little kid with her hands on her knees became an 'SNL' comedian and actress, she was just a funny little girl starting her career in theater in the 5th grade, growing up in the town of Shaker Heights, Ohio.

If you're still having a hard time deciding who this super child is you should hop into some of her new entertainment projects, including her memoir book ... and just remember, there are two ways of getting into a swimming pool.

This comedic star will always put a smile on your face!

D.L. Hughley thinks Pete Davidson is out of line for getting the initials of Kim and Kanye's 4 kids inked on his neck.

We got the comedian at LAX and asked him about Pete's new tat, which seems to read "KNSCP" ... a collection of letters many believe stand for Kim, North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. BTW ... the initials of their kids are in order of descending age.

It's still unclear whether or not Kim co-signed on the new ink ... or had any idea Pete was doing it at all.

D.L. says it's a troubling decision from the 'SNL' star, given all the hostility between Kanye and his estranged wife's new boyfriend, and he's taking it as a shot across the bow from Pete.

D.L. says it's not fair to Kanye ... in fact, he says it's downright disrespectful.

D.L. has his kids' names tattooed on his body ... another reason why he would be really pissed off if he were in Kanye's shoes, and would have plenty to say about it ... which is interesting, because Kanye has so far remained mum.

'Mighty Ducks' star Shaun Weiss has made a major comeback ... and the latest milestone is opening for Russell Peters at a comedy show.

Shaun tells TMZ ... he opened for Russell Friday, performing for 10 minutes at Oxnard Levity Live Improv. Russ actually advised him to make stand-up his new passion, something Shaun hasn't done in years.

It's pretty spectacular how things have come full circle for Shaun. Three years ago when he was homeless, he bumped into Russell in an alleyway behind a Deli in Santa Monica and Russell gave him $100.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago he reconnected with the Canadian comedian to thank him ... and that's when RP offered him an opening spot at the Improv.

Shaun says he had the crowd laughing, especially when he made fun of himself and referenced something involving an ex-GF back in 2014 that was really bad ... nevertheless, Shaun used it as material during his set.

You'll recall, SW has battled drug addiction for several years ... causing him to have many run-ins with the law and lose most of his teeth from drug abuse.

Well, that's all a thing of the past ... cause he has since turned his life around and has been sober for over 2 years. As we've told you, he got a new set of pearly whites and a huge new acting gig, starring in "Jesus Revolution".

The White House Correspondents' Dinner was back after a 5-year hiatus, and reviews afterwards by celebs who attended were all a thumbs up.

Pete Davidson left with GF Kim Kardashian and gushed that Trevor Noah had "crushed it."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who says she'll be leaving her gig sometime soon begged to differ that this was her going away party.

CNN's Don Lemon had a strong view on who stole the show ... and it wasn't Biden and sorry ... it wasn't Kim.

And Fat Joe weighed in on Jeff Bezos' plan to send folks to the moon ... exactly how much would it take to get him in a rocket ship?

As you know, the dinner went dark during the Trump Administration ... hard to have a fun night when he calls those in attendance the enemy of the people.

James Corden delivered a tearful monologue Thursday night on "The Late Late Show," talking about the beginning of the end of his long-running show.

James got his audience excited, telling them he signed a new contract, before flipping to the bad side of that coin -- as we reported, it'll be his final year with James at the helm.

While fighting back tears, he said the show changed his life ... he never saw a talk show as a final destination for him, and believes next year will be a great time for him to move on.

This is one of the hardest decisions James has had to make ... but he reassured the crowd the end is farther away than it feels -- the 'Late Late' team is determined to make this the best year they've ever had.

As we reported, James announced his departure hours before his show. He confessed leaving had been on his mind for a while -- CBS honchos were gunning for a 3-year extension on his contract, but the host agreed to only 1.

James Corden is saying goodbye to "The Late Late Show" in 2023 ... quite the shock since the show has been hugely popular for CBS.

James said the departure has been on his mind for a while, according to Deadline. He always thought he'd do the show for 5 years and then pass the torch to someone else, but he just kept cranking. When he pulls the plug, he'll have hosted for nearly 9 years.

The show has actually been more successful on YouTube than on the network. His 'Carpool Karaoke' with Adele racked up more than 250 million views. The romp with One Direction scored 189 million views. The show's YouTube page has more than 10 BILLION views with 27 million subscribers.

CBS honchos didn't let James go without a fight. They were gunning for a 3-year extension on his contract, but Corden agreed to only one year.

JC says there are things he'd like to accomplish post-exit, like writing. He also gives thanks to his crew for being some of the most talented people he's ever met.

CBS President and CEO, George Cheeks, is singing Corden's praises, saying he took TV by storm ... and his unique segments like 'Carpool Karaoke' and 'Crosswalk the Musical' reimagined what the late-night format could bring to a modern audience.

American actress Amy Yasbeck was 31 years old when she was cast as Peggy Brandt -- a news reporter who ends up outing the mystery man underneath the green mask - in the 1994 comedy/fantasy film "The Mask."

Amy shared the big screen with A-lister Jim Carrey as a bank teller and main protagonist, Stanley Ipkiss, Cameron Diaz as a singer of the Coco Bongo and love interest of Ipkiss, Tina Carlyle, Peter Riegert, the lieutenant who is on "The Mask" mystery case, Mitch Kellaway and Peter Greene, the main antagonist who is plotting to rob Stanley's bank, Dorian Tyrell.

"It's Showtime!"

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson certainly like to spend time together -- case in point ... attending a major event in our nation's capital, in lockstep.

The couple was just two of many celebs on hand Sunday night at the Kennedy Center in D.C., where Jon Stewart was being honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ... the first time in a few years it's been awarded.

As you can see, they were looking on attentively in matching black outfits.

Others A-listers in attendance included ... Steve Carell, Jimmy Kimmel, Samantha Bee, Dave Chappelle, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Ed Helms and others. Even Bruce Springsteen was there to do a little ditty for JS.

Of course, tons of politicians showed face as well -- such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, White House Press Sec. Jen Psaki and more.

As for Kim and Pete ... like we said, they're two peas in a pod these days when it comes to big events. They were shoulder-to-shoulder during the premiere of the new Kardashians show, and here they are again in another high-profile outing.

When it comes to making music, Tiffany Haddish is NOT new to the game ... so says Tiffany herself, who revealed she's been making music for a while now.

We caught up with the "Girls Trip" star at LAX and she told us all about her music and her plans for the future.

Tiffany says being a musical artist isn't a career change 'cause she's actually been dropping tunes for years. She says, she hopes to merge acting and music by putting her music in her movies and TV shows.

As far as the genre, she says she's tapping into Hip Hop and classical. She says, her dream collab would be Beyoncé ... and even said she'd hop on a track with her ex-BF/music artist/actor Common.

Steve Martin has just about all of the internet going to bat for him against millennials who apparently don't find the humor in one of his most famous 'SNL' sketches ... King Tut!

Here's the deal ... SM's trending because somebody reposted and recirculated his famously goofy Egyptian-themed dance that he performed on the late-night program, on which he made regular appearances in the '70s. Yesterday marked the 44th anniversary of its debut.

While people were piling on with praise at first, it seems, one person (and perhaps more) asked a simple question ... where the heck is the funny in this thing???

As one 20-or-30-something notes ... "I'm sure my parents found this hilarious in the 70's but I honestly dont get it. He's doing a funny dance and voice but there isn't really a *bit* that my Millenial (sic) brain can parse." Their tweet is now taking off ... in a bad way.

Tons of people are coming out in defense of Steve against this person's perception of his comedy chops -- or lack thereof, in their eyes -- by rightly explaining he was a pioneer and kickstarted an entire wave of legendary standups that emerged in the late '70s and '80s through his wacky style ... which was more showmanship than actual traditional punchlines.

The King Tut dance, they explain, is just one example ... also, context matters too. There was a huge museum exhibit of the young pharaoh being dragged across the U.S. back then ... and it permeated the airwaves. So, Steve's satire here isn't lost on those who remember.

There also appears to be another convo happening on the outskirts of this King Tut clip -- namely, folks who are allegedly up in arms because of ... cultural appropriation.

Frankly, we can't find a single tweet expressing this position whatsoever -- Twitter's algorithm stinks when it comes to finding the initial outrage being cited -- but in any case, some say they're seeing that argument being floated ... and there, too, Steve fans are shutting it down.

Indeed, we're not about to apply the 2022 lens to Steve and his material some 40 years later. And, more importantly, no one in their right mind would try to "cancel" him now.

But, on the issue of whether he's actually funny or not -- either in his standup heyday or in movies thereafter -- well, it seems the answer depends on who you ask ... generationally.