Source: Noam Galai/Getty
Students at Duke University walked out on the commencement address from Jerry Seinfeld for his pro-Israeli stance on the war in Gauze.
On Sunday (May 12), comedian Jerry Seinfeld performed at Duke University's commencement in Durham, North Carolina. Before rising to speak, about 30 graduates stood up and walked out during commencement remarks by Duke University President Vincent Price, with chants of “Free, Free Palestine” heard as they left the stadium mixed with boos from some of the 7,000 in attendance. They protested the presence of Seinfeld as well as the school's investment in Israel, calling for Duke to leave.
Seinfeld was most vocal about his support for Israel and its military's response to the October 7, 2023 attacks by the militant group Hamas, which left hundreds of Israelis dead and more than 300 hostages taken. Attacks by the Israel Defense Forces have been blamed for the reported deaths of nearly 35,000 Palestinians and other civilians, including aid workers. The comedian's stance (including social media posts and a trip to Tel Aviv last December) drew backlash as he was on campus to receive an honorary doctorate. “I'm not preaching about it,” he said in an interview GQ. “I have my personal feelings about what I discuss privately. It's not part of what I can do comedically, but my emotions are very strong.”
The students who walked out, some carrying the Palestinian flag, arrived at a green space on campus, where they were greeted by parents and faculty members who gave them an impromptu ceremony. Back at Wallace Wade Stadium, Seinfeld wooed the crowd, alluding to the protesters by saying he admired their commitment to participation, but felt it was “worth the sacrifice of the occasional discomfort to get a laugh.”
Student protests over the war in Gaza have led to heightened tensions with over 2,900 arrests at 57 collegiate institutions across the country. Some of the incidents were sparked by pro-Israel rioters counter-protests like one that took place at UCLA last month — this one promoted by Seinfeld's wife, Jessica, who went public with her donations to the organizing group. He would go on to denounce the violence that followed.
