Cristina Payne is speaking out after disturbing footage resurfaced that appears to show comedian Corey Holcomb punching her during an argument outside the Hollywood Improv.
In an emotional interview with TMZ Live, Payne said the situation has left her frightened and unable to live normally. “I’m not able to leave the house,” she said, claiming Holcomb has continued to threaten her since the video spread online.
The footage, shared Friday by an Instagram account called The Bizi, shows the two comedians surrounded by a group of people during a heated confrontation. Payne said their conflict had been building for months before the incident.
“It’s horrible the way he treats women, the way he talks about us,” she said. “And then to the point where it’s like, really, you’re going to hit me?”
Payne also expressed frustration that no action was taken after she filed a battery report with the LAPD. “I’m just disappointed in how nothing was done,” she said.
She alleged the video does not capture the full sequence of events, including a moment she says involved a weapon. “There’s a gun involved that he passed off to another female comedian and was like, ‘Go put that up for me,’ before he hit me,” Payne claimed.
According to Payne, the fallout began after a falling out in summer 2024, followed by harsh remarks and a face-to-face confrontation. She says she now fears for her safety.