Students Storm Out Of Jerry Seinfeld's Commencement Speech At Duke
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Duke University’s commencement saw a minor disruption when students protesting the war in Gaza walked out before Jerry Seinfeld spoke.
Video from Sunday’s event in Durham, North Carolina, showed about 30 students in cap and gown get up and leave their graduation ceremony as Seinfeld was introduced by Duke President Vincent Price.
Chants of “Free, free Palestine” could be heard as students carried the state’s green, red and black flag out of the football stadium.
In footage shared on social media, the audience could be heard booing, though it was unclear if the shouts were directed at Seinfeld or the protestors, which appeared to be a sliver of the 7,000 graduates in attendance.
Also audible were chants and jeers of “Jerry,” a reaction which sounded split between support and mockery of the sitcom star.
Seinfeld, who also received an honorary doctorate degree from the school on Sunday, has been a staunch supporter of Israel amid its response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
He’s posted on social media in solidarity with Israel several times since last fall’s incursion, and in December, the “Bee Movie” voice traveled to Tel Aviv to meet with the families of hostages captured by Hamas.
Seinfeld said he was unbothered by the backlash he received, but in April he told GQ he was “surprised by how hostile” the reactions to his visit were.
“I don’t preach about it,” he said. “I have my personal feelings about it that I discuss privately. It’s not part of what I can do comedically, but my feelings are very strong.”
His wife, Jessica Seinfeld, also publicized her donations to the pro-Israel counterprotests which spurred on clashes between the police and Palestinian protestors at UCLA earlier this month. She later condemned the violence that occurred.
The walk out reflected ongoing tensions on America’s college campuses, which have seen a wave of protests and on-campus occupations which resulted in nearly 2,900 arrests at 57 institutions.
After the demonstration at Duke and things seemed to have settled down, Seinfeld was able to deliver what was a characteristically uncontroversial routine.
“After spending four years at what is considered one of the finest institutions of higher education in the world, they apparently feel that perhaps some light entertainment will get you all to the final realization, ‘You know, I think I’ve really had enough of this place,’” he joked.
