Jerry Seinfeld has found himself unexpectedly caught up in political controversy amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, he dismisses the situation as “so dumb” and “comical.” The actor-comedian addressed the backlash during an interview on the “Honestly with Bari Weiss” podcast.
Recently, Seinfeld’s commencement speech at Duke University was disrupted by student walkouts, and his stand-up comedy show in Virginia was heckled by protesters, some of whom were holding Palestinian flags.
When asked about being politicized, Seinfeld found the criticism “so dumb” and joked about correcting the aim of the protesters, emphasizing that comedians don’t control political outcomes.
Seinfeld visited Israel last year and expressed support for the country following a deadly attack by Hamas. He posted an “I Stand With Israel” graphic on social media, stating his connection to Israel and his distress over the attacks.
During his comedy show in Virginia, Seinfeld was interrupted by politically charged hecklers, but the incident was resolved without further disturbance.
Similarly, at Duke University, students walked out of Seinfeld’s commencement speech in protest, while others showed support. Seinfeld did not address the walkouts during his speech but focused on delivering humor and advice to the graduates.
In summary, Seinfeld views the criticism as misguided and finds humor in the situation, emphasizing that comedians have limited influence over political matters.