Jerry Seinfeld’s week of difficult appearances continues, this time in Virginia.
As soon as Seinfeld took the stage for a stand-up comedy set at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk on Saturday night, a man in the audience jumped up and yelled, “Free Gaza,” TMZ reported. The audience immediately began booing the heckler and chanting “Jerry! Jerry!” as another bystander wrestled the protester into a headlock.
Security escorted the man out of the building, but the show was interrupted by other protesters eight times throughout its 90-minute run.
The controversy around Seinfeld’s views stems from his vocal support of Israel — which he visited following the Oct. 7 attacks — and his wife’s $5,000 donation to a GoFundMe for pro-Israel counterprotesters at UCLA after a late April protest turned violent.
Seinfeld didn’t seem bothered by the interruptions, telling the crowd not to boo the man because he had a right to protest.
“This is exciting. I like this,” the comic said as the original protester was escorted out of the venue. “I like a little Jew hate to spice up the show.”
Yes. I do want to “pretend” the person telling me what my hobbies are and berating me for spending time here is being exceedingly rude. You don’t even know what is going on in my life and you assumed instead of asked. Too late now. I’m done here. Go be a jerk to someone else.
If I realized you would take offense at the word I used to describe how you choose to spend your time, I wouldn’t have used the word.
I’m not criticizing you for what you are doing. I think you have done a lot of good. I just think you are very forgiving of awful behavior among people who hold the same beliefs you do, when you should realize they respect you and likely wouldn’t engage I’m that behavior if you chose to say something.