Duke students walk out of Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech
The students chanted "free, free Palestine" before joining a makeshift graduation outside the stadium
Jerry Seinfeld’s commencement speech at Duke became the subject of something much larger than post-grad career advice this past weekend. As the comedian took the podium, a group of students walked out of the university’s stadium holding flags and chanting “Free, free Palestine.” Seinfeld began his speech (“Thank you. Oh my God, what a beautiful day,” he opened) as the last of the protesters exited (via The New York Times).
This particular protest echoed the goals espoused by other campus movements at Columbia and more that have gained momentum over the past month. “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest,” the students chanted before joining relatives and faculty members for a makeshift graduation outside of the stadium’s walls.
Still, they were also protesting Seinfeld’s presence specifically. The comedian has voiced his support for Israel multiple times since October 7, through social media posts and a trip to Caliber 3, a “Counter Terror, Defense & Security Training Academy” in Israel run by active members of the IDF. His wife, Jessica Seinfeld, also recently donated to and promoted a pro-Israeli counterprotest at UCLA that ended in violent attacks on a student encampment earlier this month. (She did condemn the violence in a subsequent post.)
Seinfeld did not directly address the protest in his speech (which you can watch in full here), but did touch on the culture of political correctness in comedy he’s been ragging on recently. “I totally admire the ambitions of your generation to create a more just and inclusive society. I think it is also wonderful that you care so much about not hurting other people’s feelings in the million and one ways we all do that every second of every day,” he said. “It’s lovely to want to fix those things, but—all caps, but—what I need to tell you as a comedian, do not lose your sense of humor. You can have no idea at this point in your life how much you’re going to need it to get through.” He also addressed his Jewish heritage: “I grew up a Jewish boy from New York. That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian.”