Chris Redd was punched in the face prior to a Wednesday night (26 October) performance at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan.
Redd, 37, was arriving by car to the venue at 9:40pm when a man, allegedly dressed as security personnel, charged and attacked him.
The suspect fled the scene, and the Saturday Night Live alum was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, according to initial police reports to TMZ.
The incident, which took place in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighbourhood, occurred amidst growing concerns about the physical safety of comedians – a conversation that intensified in March 2022 when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during a live broadcast of the Oscars.
Rock, a presenter at the Hollywood award ceremony, had just delivered a joke concerning the physical appearance of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
In July, Smith issued a lengthy video apology, which Rock denounced during a stand-up set in London. “F*** your hostage video,” the comic said in September.
Redd is best known for appearing on SNL from 2017 until his departure earlier this year.
“Being a part of SNL has been the experience of a lifetime. Five years ago, I walked into 30 Rock knowing that this was an amazing opportunity for growth,” Redd said in a statement in September. “Now, with friends who have become family and memories I will cherish forever, I’m grateful to Lorne Michaels and to the entire SNL organisation. From the bottom of my heart, I can’t thank you all enough.”
Next up for Redd is his own HBO comedy special Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This?.
The special, executive produced by Conan O’Brien, is set to be released in the US on 3 November.
