Chet Hanks walked up behind Eric André at ComplexCon in Los Angeles over the weekend, grabbed him by the shoulder, and reignited a grudge that's been simmering since 2023. Security quickly stepped between the two men, and André walked off surrounded by guards, shouting something about Tom Hanks as he left.
Video of the confrontation shows Hanks approaching André from behind at the convention before the two exchanged words, according to TMZ, which first reported the footage. The outlet's account describes Hanks “confronting the dude in a wild interaction over the weekend at a convention in Los Angeles” before security pulled André away. As he was escorted off, André reportedly yelled something referencing Tom Hanks, though the exact wording of that remark has not been independently confirmed. Separate footage reviewed by ComingSoon showed André walking off escorted by his own security, with the outlet noting there were no visible signs of violence in the clip.
A Grudge Dating Back to 2023
The ComplexCon run-in traces back to Hanks's 2023 appearance on The Eric André Show, when André later made public comments about Hanks to the media. Hanks pressed André directly over those remarks, which stemmed from an incident during the show's filming that both men have described very differently ever since.
According to Rolling Stone's account from 2023, André accused Hanks of stealing a motorcycle and riding it around the set, claiming Hanks “almost knocked a bunch of grips and gaffers off their ladders” and calling the behavior “very dangerous.” Hanks acknowledged riding a motorcycle during filming; NME reported that he said he only “popped a little wheelie” before putting the bike down.
Dueling Explanations for the Beef
Hanks has offered his own explanation for why André criticized him after the taping. Hanks claimed André “had NO MEMORY WHATSOEVER of trashing me to the media after I outshined him on his own show.” Hanks has said he watched The Eric André Show before his appearance and decided to match its chaotic energy once he got there.
Hanks also pointed to a separate grievance, saying André's real issue dated back to Hanks using a Jamaican accent and facing accusations of mocking Caribbean culture. Hanks framed André's objection as the underlying source of the tension between them.
The Original Dust-Up Never Really Ended
The feud first spilled into public view through dueling social-media statements rather than face time, with reports indicating Hanks called out André on Instagram back in 2023. André's response at the time escalated things further: he dared Hanks to take a DNA test to prove Tom Hanks was actually his father.
Three years later, the two men still haven't settled their differences. As ComingSoon notes, the clash at this year's ComplexCon shows the dispute carrying straight through from that 2023 television appearance into an in-person confrontation, with both sides continuing to offer their own version of what happened on set and why. Whether Hanks and André reach any kind of resolution going forward remains to be seen.
