Security for Dave Chappelle’s on-stage attack show tied to Astroworld
A company contracted to provide security at the Hollywood Bowl where Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage is the same firm linked to other major events, including Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert and the Las Vegas mass shooting, sources told The Post.
California-based Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC) had security guards in place for Chappelle’s show on Tuesday night when Isaiah Lee, 23, managed to smuggle in a strange gun-like knife and storm the stage, the sources said.
It wasn’t immediately clear if CSC was the only firm providing security during Chappelle’s event. CSC did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the security situation.
The private security firm, whose website bills it as the “leader in crowd management,” has also been contracted for a number of other past events, including last November’s Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, where 10 people were killed and hundreds injured in a crowd surge.
The company was among the defendants named in multiple lawsuits filed by the victims’ families over the catastrophe.
National promoter Live Nation, who booked CSC and other security companies for the Astroworld event, and headlining performer Travis Scott are also being sued.
One $750 million lawsuit, filed on behalf of 123 Astroworld victims, claimed security personnel were “grossly overwhelmed” by the crowds that broke through barriers and stormed the event to see the rapper perform.
The hefty damages being sought “includes sufficient punitive damages to punish and make an example of all involved in the streaming, promotion, organization and failed execution of the concert,” according to the suit.
Darius Williams, a security guard who was meant to work the Astroworld event but pulled out at the last minute due to safety concerns, previously lashed out at CSC and accused it of “super-rushed” hiring.
“It seemed crazy and super-rushed. I felt like my safety was in jeopardy. I needed the cash and wanted to be part of a fun event, but I had a bad feeling, so I decided to leave,” Williams told Rolling Stone at the time.
CSC security guards were also hired to staff the 2017 Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, where 58 people were shot dead when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire from his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
Like Astroworld, Live Nation also put on the Route 91 Harvest and Chappelle’s run of performances at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the “Netflix Is A Joke” festival.
CSC had posted a job ad online last month calling for “Event Staff & Security” for upcoming events at the Hollywood Bowl and Rose Bowl, saying it was an opportunity to “work with the experienced leader in crowd management.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how many CSC security guards were on shift during the Chappelle show.
Hollywood Bowl refused to comment when asked about CSC and the security measures in place, only saying the safety of artists, visitors and staff is a “top priority.”
“We are reviewing our existing procedures both internally and with the assistance of outside experts so we can continue to provide a safe and secure environment at the Hollywood Bowl,” a spokesperson for the venue said Thursday night.
“We have implemented additional security measures, including an increased number of security personnel on-site to assist with bag checks and other security procedures. We continue to cooperate with authorities in their ongoing investigation.”
Lee, a wanna-be rap star, is accused of storming the stage during Chappelle’s show and tackling the comedian while armed with the fake gun fitted with a knife, the LAPD said.
It is unclear how Lee, who charged with four misdemeanor counts, was allegedly able to smuggle the weapon into the venue in the first place, which has metal detectors and bag checks at the entrance.
Audience member Jed Simon told The Post after the incident that the “venue security was non-existent” ahead of the show.
Speaking about the aftermath of the on-stage attack, Simon said it “seemed like Dave’s entourage, security and crew dealt with the situation.”
He added that Chappelle returned to performing moments later — even as security were still wrangling the attacker on stage.
“When Dave came back to the mic, he kept saying, ‘Get that guy off the stage’ because the attacker was still on the stage being held down by 20 people.”
CSC states on its website that the company “has a history of delivering exceptional services for events and venues from as small as one guest to multi-day events hosting hundreds of thousands.”
It also says that “with over 60,000 active and trained team members nationally, CSC currently provides crowd management services for over 110 universities and scholastic institutions, 190 stadiums, arenas and theaters, 48 convention centers, 10 NFL teams, 6 MLB teams, 4 NBA teams, 7 MLS teams and 6 NHL teams.”
