New York City Mayor Eric Adams split his crime-plagued town this week to hobnob with billionaires and comedians on the West Coast – as his approval rating nosedives – and was so late in returning to the Big Apple on Thursday that he had to cancel scheduled press events.
Adams’ two-day California adventure comes amid revelations that a member of the playboy mayor’s entourage, Hollywood superagent Cade Hudson, was once accused of sexual harassment.
On Wednesday, Adams, 61, participated in a panel at the Milken Institute Global Conference on ‘digital transformation’ before heading to the local Museum of Tolerance to celebrate Israel’s independence day. He finished the night attending billionaire philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen gala at his Hearst Estate in Beverly Hills.
The busy day followed Adams’ stop to take in David Chappelle’s show, where he witnessed 23-year-old Isiah Lee storm the stage with a gun that contained a hidden knife while the comedian joked that he’d had to increase his security in light of his trans jokes at the Netflix is a Joke festival.
Adams didn’t arrive home until late Thursday because of what his press shop called a ‘last-minute flight cancellation.’ The cancellations forced the mayor to miss several events, including a rally demanding he be allowed to control the city’s school system.
Adams’ sojourn out West comes as crime continues to rise across the Big Apple despite his promises to crack down on the already surging numbers under predecessor Bill de Blasio.
Through May 1, overall crime is up 41 percent in New York City from the same period in 2021. While murders are down 14 percent, robberies are up 44 percent and felony assaults are up 19 percent.
A recent poll found that 43% of New Yorkers approve of Adams’ overall job since taking over in January — down from the 46% in the same survey conducted in February.
Eric Adams is seen with CAA agent Cade Hudson, who has allegedly made it into the mayor’s inner circle, and supermodel Naomi Campbell at the members-only Zero Bond in Manhattan last month
NYC Mayor Eric Adams joins billionaire philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen for the Berggruen Prize Gala at Berggruen Hearst Estate in Beverly Hills, California, on Wednesday.
Adams, 61, paid for the trip out of campaign funds after attending the ritzy Met Gala on Monday, according to staffers and spent two days in Southern California
On Tuesday, however, Adams said he was at Chappelle’s show, when a man stormed the stage while Chappelle joked that he’d had to increase his security in light of his trans jokes at the Netflix is a Joke festival
Adams has been seen about town throughout his first months in Gracie Mansion.
Not only did he appear at the Met Gala on Monday, he was also seen with actress Cara Delevigne and rappers A$AP Rocky and Common at various city events.
Most recently, reports have seen him welcome Hollywood agent Cade Hudson into his inner circle.
Adams has spent many evenings with Hudson, a CAA agent who reps Britney Spears, Sean Penn and Emma Roberts among others, the Daily News reports.
He was accused of offering access to directors in exchange for sex to a male actor in 2013, according to the LA Times. Hudson was never sued or charged and has denied anything improper happened.
Adams’ reps told the Daily News Hudson is ‘one of many people who know the mayor and have interacted with him.’
Adams, 61, paid for the California trip out of campaign funds after attending the ritzy Met Gala in New York on Monday, according to staffers and spent two days in Southern California.
He said Lee’s actions were indicative of ‘some of the mental health crises we’re facing’ and added that it was ‘unbelievable.’
‘Violence is unacceptable. Thank God there was a response to make sure that he wasn’t injured seriously,’ Adams said. ‘It was horrific to have someone come on stage and attack in that manner.’
Adams, however, said that Chappelle was back to his normal self ‘just telling jokes’ after the attack.
Chappelle was uninjured and carried on with the show.
Lee was then tackled by security guards who appeared to break his arm in the melee. He is described as weighing 140lbs and is 5ft 11.
A battered Isaiah Lee is taken away after storming the stage at Dave Chappelle’s show
Dave Chappelle was last night attacked on stage while filming a Netflix special in Los Angeles
Foxx replied: ‘I thought that was part of the show, I didn’t know what the f***…’
Chappelle said: ‘I grabbed the back of that n**** head. His hair was spongy. Absorbent.’
Foxx added: ‘Listen, I just want to say, this man is an absolute genius. We’ve got to make sure we protect him at all times.
‘For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You’re a genius. You’re a legend, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we’re not going to let nothing happen to you.’
Chappelle said: ‘I’ve been doing this for 35 years. I just stomped a n**** backstage. I’ve always wanted to do that.’
Friends in high places: Cara was seen partying alongside New York City mayor Eric Adams
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