At Duke graduation, dozens protest commencement speaker Jerry Seinfeld

Several dozen Duke University graduates walked out of the school’s graduation ceremony Sunday, protesting the choice of comedian Jerry Seinfeld as commencement speaker and the school’s ties to Israel amid the country’s ongoing conflict in Gaza.

As Duke President Vincent Price introduced Seinfeld, several dozen students carrying Palestinian flags and a sign walked out of Wallace Wade Stadium. Some in the crowd cheered “Free! Free Palestine!”

Others in the audience booed as the protesters exited, and a chant of “Jerry!” broke out in support of the speaker.

Some people criticized Duke’s choice of Seinfeld as commencement speaker, particularly after recent remarks the comedian made about his support for Israel in its ongoing war with the militant Palestinian group Hamas. Seinfeld’s wife, Jessica, is a cookbook author who recently helped pay for a pro-Israel counterprotest on UCLA’s campus.

A pamphlet distributed by organizers said Duke’s choice of Seinfeld as speaker was “a wake-up call” for students to take action. But the primary reason for the protest, organizers said, was the university’s financial ties to companies supporting the war and to Israeli institutions amid an ongoing conflict that has left about 35,000 Palestinians dead.

Like protesters on other campuses nationwide, the Duke organizers called for the university to disclose financial ties with Israel, to divest investments in companies selling products to Israel that support the ongoing war, and to “boycott” its partnerships with Israeli schools. The organizers also asked for Duke to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict.

The demands were similar to those made by protesters at UNC Chapel Hill on Saturday amid graduation festivities there. Protesters ringed Old Well as some families took pictures of graduates, and a handful walked out of that school’s commencement ceremonies in support of Palestinians.

Seinfeld’s public support for Israel has been a notable departure from much of his career, which has been virtually defined by his apolitical comedy.

The comedian watched from the podium as students walked out, a grin slipping on and off of his face. At one point, he waved to acknowledge the chants of his name.

Along with his wife, Seinfeld co-chairs the Duke Parents Committee, which raises funds for the school. Their daughter, Sascha, graduated from Duke in 2023 and their son, Julian, is a current student.

Like many other Jewish celebrities, Seinfeld started to take a more public stance in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, that left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 252 Israelis and foreigners captive. The BBC reports Hamas still holds 128 people.

Seinfeld made no mention of the conflict or his stance in the commencement address, though he did acknowledge his faith.

In telling graduates they should be willing to use the privilege conferred upon them, Seinfled mentioned his own upbringing. Growing up a Jew in New York was a privilege for a would-be comedian, Seinfeld said, with family members honing his attempts at funny stories and jokes.

“We’re embarrassed of things we should be proud of and proud of things we should be embarrassed about,” Seinfeld said.

The comedian also called for graduates to maintain their senses of humor, even if some jokes made them uncomfortable. That remark was in keeping with a recent New Yorker interview where Seinfeld said concerns about offending people result in over-sanitized humor, particularly on sitcoms.

Seinfeld said he admires this generation’s efforts to avoid offending people but also believes humor is necessary to navigating life’s ups and downs.

“It is worth the sacrifice of an occasional discomfort to have some laughs. Don’t lose that. Even if it’s at the cost of occasional hard feelings, it’s OK. You’ve got to laugh,” Seinfeld said.