Any seasoned comedian knows how tough a hostile crowd can be—but few face what Jerry Seinfeld did at Duke University in May.
There to receive an honorary degree, Seinfeld encountered backlash over his vocal support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict. His presence prompted dozens of students to walk out, chanting “Free, free Palestine.” Others jeered as they exited, while Seinfeld waited before joking, “Thank you. Oh my God, what a beautiful day.”
Known for his hit show Seinfeld, the 70-year-old kept his commencement speech light, avoiding confrontation and instead delivering humor-laced life advice. “A lot of you are thinking, ‘I can’t believe they invited this guy.’ Too late,” he quipped, also defending the concept of privilege: “Use your privilege. I grew up a Jewish boy from New York. That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian.”
Seinfeld has remained outspoken in support of Israel since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2024.
Duke’s VP of communications, Frank Tramble, later said the university respects peaceful protest and the rights of all attendees to celebrate their achievements.