D.L. Hughley suffered a fall while performing in Nashville on Friday. According to CNN, the comedian collapsed on stage while doing his stand-up comedy routine. He then was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with COVID-19.


Hughley described the incident in a video on Twitter.

"I was being treated for extreme exhaustion and dehydration. I was very dehydrated," Hughley said. "But it turns out they ran a battery of tests, and I also tested positive for COVID-19, which blew me away."

The actor said he didn't have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 but that he just lost consciousness. 

"I'm going back to my hotel room to quarantine for 14 days," he said in the Twitter video. "Thank you for your prayers and your well wishes."  

Hughley also left a word of advice for any other performers who might find themselves in a similar situation. 

"In addition to all the other stuff you have to look out for, if your a*s pass out in the middle of a show on stage, you probably need to get tested," he said. 

A video from a fan shows the moment where the comedian collapsed. The audience, who'd been laughing up until that point, collectively gasped as Hughley collapsed and the staff rushed to the stage to carry him out. 

The comedian was being treated for exhaustion and dehydration before he was diagnosed with COVID-19. 

"He was suffering from exhaustion after all the week’s work and travel, and was kept overnight at the hospital for tests under doctor’s orders," Hughley's representative initially told The Hollywood Reporter. "He is awake and feeling better, and wishes to thank everyone for the very kind prayers and thoughts."

Zanies Nashville, the comedy club where Hughley was performing, is now closed.  

"We have received notification that D.L. Hughley, who performed at Zanies on Thursday and Friday, June 18-19, has tested positive for COVID-19," the club wrote on Facebook. "As a result, Zanies has closed and will only reopen after a comprehensive cleaning process conducted by a specialist. Zanies will continue to follow Metro Nashville Health Department reopening phase guidelines."


Hughley received kind words from fans and celebrities such as Tyler Perry, who also threw in a joke to lighten the mood.

"Just hearing about @RealDLHughley. I watched your video, at the end did you say thanks for your 'THOTS and prayers'? LOL," Perry wrote on Twitter.  "I’m so glad you’re better! Stay safe brother. My first movie wouldn’t have gotten made without you! Sending you THOUGHTS and prayers!"

One fan gave a shoutout to the comedian's manager.

"Now that I know @RealDLHughley is feeling better I can say this… shout out to his manager for reacting quickly," the fan said. "He’s a great manager, but would’ve been a s**tty Punt Returner. He said 'I got you' and then dropped you? Much Love to the King. Bless Up!"

The coronavirus, which has continued to spike in many regions while businesses reopen, has especially taken a toll on the Black community. In California, studies from late April show that Black people ages 18 to 49 made up 15% of the state’s death toll, but only account for 6% of the state’s total population, as Blavity previously reported. Studies also show that Black residents aged 65 or older are two times more likely to die from the virus than the rest of their age group, the Los Angeles Times reported.

NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick launched a coronavirus relief fund for communities that are especially affected during the pandemic.

“Black and brown communities are being disproportionately devastated by COVID-19 because of hundreds of years of structural racism,”  Kaepernick said on Twitter. “That’s why we’ve established the Know Your Rights Camp COVID-19 Relief Fund to help address these issues.”

The factors which place Black people at higher risk of grave illness from the virus include preexisting conditions, environmental issues, such as polluted areas, and overrepresentation in low-paying essential service jobs. Several other Black celebrities have also been diagnosed with the coronavirus, as Blavity previously reported, including Idris Elba, Rudy Gobert, Slim Thug, Scarface and Kevin Durant. 

coronavirus-pandemicD.L. HughleyHealth-DisparitiesZanies Nashville