Well, it looks like Eric André has finally addressed *that* confrontation with Chet Hanks earlier this month, and his explanation is classic Eric André.
On Monday, Oct. 26, the comedian was approached by TMZ at LAX, where he was asked about his recent run-in with Tom Hanks's son at ComplexCon in Los Angeles. Instead of voicing concern about their apparent feud, the comedian joked that Hanks was simply flirting with him.
André stopped short of suggesting that the two had actually resolved their differences, and when he was asked whether there was still bad blood between the two, he reportedly wouldn't rule it out. When asked by TMZ if he had any message, he joked, "Yeah, I haven't been able to sleep."
But maybe the most interesting part of his response was his claim that a longer version of the confrontation exists online, which, according to TMZ, he promises will "shed light on the situation." TMZ reported that they haven't been able to locate the extended footage as of Monday, though André insists it's out there.
For anyone who missed it, Hanks approached André at ComplexCon earlier this month, seemingly looking to settle a grudge. In a video he later shared online, Hanks is seen coming up to André from behind and grabbing his shoulder.
The comedian extends his hand for a handshake, but Hanks doesn't reciprocate, and the two exchange words as the interaction turns more confrontational. Both men eventually remove their sunglasses, though their conversation is difficult to make out from the video. Security ultimately breaks them up.
In the caption alongside his video, Hanks claimed that André had no memory of publicly criticizing him following his appearance on The Eric André Show in 2023. He also accused the comedian of hiding behind his security team and wrote that his real problem with him comes from his use of a Jamaican accent.
André's claim to TMZ that there is additional footage of their exchange suggests there's more to the story beyond Hanks's account.
As for how their beef kicked off in the first place, André gave a Rolling Stone interview following Hanks's appearance on his show in 2023, calling him "emotionally disturbed" and alleging that "he stole a motorcycle and rode it around."
"It was very dangerous," André said at the time. "He tried to prank us back, but we edited out all his bulls***! He’s not well."
He finished by asking, "How did Colin Hanks come out so good and Chet Hanks come out so bad?"
Hanks replied on Instagram, arguing that he was trying to "match [the] energy" of the comedian's "weird, outlandish" series.
He said, "I was just playing along with your schtick," and then called André a "b****."
For context, The Eric André Show is a late-night talk show parody and always opens with André running out and wrecking the set. You can watch the awkward interview and see the vibe for yourself:
View this video on YouTube
In response to Chet's remarks, André posted an Instagram video saying: "Everything Chet Hanks just said about me is a f***ing, bold-faced lie. He’s a f***ing liar. I dare him to take a f***ing DNA test and prove that Tom Hanks is his f***ing father.”
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