Jerry Seinfeld heckled by anti-Israel protester during comedy show: 'Jew-haters spice up the show'
A pro-Palestinian protester was roundly booed and escorted out as he attempted to interrupt one of Jerry Seinfeld’s comedy shows Saturday night in Virginia.
Jerry Seinfeld's recent stand-up gig was interrupted by anti-Israel protesters on Saturday night.
Seinfeld was performing in Virginia when a pro-Palestinian protester proceeded to stand up and shout insults towards the "Seinfeld" creator, calling him a "genocide supporter."
"Save the children of Gaza! No more American tax dollars for genocide!" the protester yelled.
Audience members quickly began booing the heckler and demanded that he "shut up and get out."
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"You should be ashamed of yourself! You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" the protester kept shouting to the audience.
Seinfeld was heard commenting, "This is fun. I like this. I think your message is really resonating with the crowd. People seem to be on your side."
"How dare you support a genocide!" the protester responded.
"I like it when the Jew-haters spice up the show," Seinfeld joked.
Additional videos from the night showed an audience member starting a fight with the protester, eventually grabbing him in a headlock. Security came and later escorted the protester out of the room.
The crowd was heard chanting "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" as the protester left.
TMZ reported that there were about eight demonstrators throughout the night who were all later escorted out by security. Eyewitnesses said that Seinfeld told his audience not to boo and supported the right to protest.
In a statement after the event, the show’s producer SevenVenues said, "We are deeply disappointed that a group of protestors disrupted tonight’s sold-out Jerry Seinfeld performance at Chrysler Hall. SevenVenues stands by its policy to remove hecklers and those who disrupt a performance, and will continue to protect the freedom of its patrons to enjoy an artist of their choosing without disruption."
Seinfeld also faced protesting hecklers during his Duke University commencement speech earlier this month. Views from the ceremony showed a few students shouting "Free Palestine" and dozens walking out just as he was introduced.
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However, other students were heard chanting "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry" as Seinfeld accepted his honorary degree.
Seinfeld has faced public backlash over his open support for Israel as it wages war against Gaza for the deadly Oct. 7 attack. Two days after the attack, he wrote an "I Stand With Israel" post on his Instagram account.
"I lived and worked on a Kibbutz in Israel when I was 16 and I have loved our Jewish homeland ever since," he wrote in a caption. "My heart is breaking from these attacks and atrocities. But we are also a very strong people in our hearts and minds."