Jerry Seinfeld got heckled onstage again during his stand-up performance at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Saturday, June 22, 2024. At the end of his set, a group of pro-Palestine protesters began chanting, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." Without missing a beat, the veteran comedian quipped,
"Oh, you're back. They're back! The protesters are back! I missed you."
He went on to address the protesters directly by saying,
"Listen, you and I are in the same business. We're in the same business. Our business is to get people to see things the way we see it. The problem is you're in the wrong place. Do you hear how well I'm doing? This is what you want."
The comedian then took a playful jab at the protesters by commenting,
"I think you need to go back and tell whoever is running your organization, 'We just gave more money to a Jew.' That cannot be a good plan for you. You gotta come up with a better plan."
Jerry Seinfeld faced a series of heckling incidents on his latest comedy tour
The Seinfeld creator faced a similar heckling incident at a show in Sydney, Australia, earlier in the week. He tackled the pro-Palestine heckler by calling him a "moron" for disrupting his set.
Seinfeld, who was met with laughter from the audience, sarcastically remarked:
"We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. He solved the Middle East! It's the Jewish comedians, that's who we have to get! They're the ones doing everything."
While performing in Virginia in May 2024, the 70-year-old comedian was again interrupted by multiple hecklers, including one who called him a genocide supporter.
Another incident involved Seinfeld giving his commencement address at Duke University on May 12, 2024. During the graduation ceremony where Seinfeld received an honorary degree, several students walked out while chanting, "Free, free Palestine."
Jerry Seinfeld has drawn criticism for his support of Israel during the Gaza conflict
The Unfrosted director has been a vocal supporter of Israel during the deadly Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023. He even visited the Israeli city of Tel Aviv in December 2023 and met with the families of the hostages taken by the Hamas terrorists during their attack in October.
In May 2024, Jerry Seinfeld appeared on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast and spoke in detail about pro-Palestinians protesting his shows. He also said he found it "so dumb" to be politicized. His comments read as follows:
"I say to (people at my shows), 'I love that these young people, they're trying to get engaged with politics. We have to just correct their aim a little bit.' They don't seem to understand that, as comedians, we really don't control anything. They want to express this sincere, intense rage, but again, a little off target."
Jerry Seinfeld is well-known for his successful career as a comedian. He has also lent his voice to the character of Barry B. Benson in the popular animated movie Bee Movie. His most recent endeavor is directing and starring in the 2024 Netflix movie Unfrosted.
Stay tuned for the latest news about upcoming movies and television shows in 2024.