Jerry Seinfeld is a comedian.
A COMEDIAN.
A month back, a handful of students walked out when Jerry Seinfeld stepped to the podium at Duke University to give a commencement speech.
The protesters claimed that Jerry Seinfeld supported Israel-
Uh, yeah, he's Jewish. What are we doing here?
Why Seinfeld Supports Israel: USA Today
Duke Students Walk Out Seinfeld's Commencement Speech: NBC News
Dozens of Duke Students Walking Out of Seinfeld's Commencement Speech is Not a Story: Reason.com
But for once, I disagreed with Reason.
Seinfeld does not dictate policy.
Seinfeld does not influence the movement of troops in Israel.
Seinfeld uses his American free speech rights, when asked, and gives vague responses like "I support Israel."
Seinfeld is a private citizen in the United States.
Seinfeld rarely, if ever, mentions any type of politics in his act.
I'm not saying you have to like Jerry Seinfeld, I'm saying he has nothing to do with what's going on in Gaza. By protesting random Jews in America, you are edging toward dangerous territory.
And don't get me wrong, protesting is a protected form of free speech, but it is only a short step between what is happening to Jerry Seinfeld, to people are harassing Jews in general simply because they are Jewish.
You think I'm overreacting? Listen, I'm not saying we're living in Germany in 1943, but if we're going to start protesting random American Citizens because they're Jewish, we are moving toward Germany in 1933....
I let this article percolate for a month. Earlier this week I asked myself, "I wonder if those idiots are still protesting Jerry Seinfeld?" From Wednesday:
Jerry Seinfeld AGAIN interrupted by Pro-Palestinian Protesters: Daily Beast
Seinfeld's crime? He went to Israel after October 7th.
Do you know who Alex Ovechkin is? He is one of the greatest players in NHL history and certainly one of the best of his generation. No matter who wins the Stanley Cup tomorrow night, the NHL season will end. Where's Ovechkin right now, in the off-season? Back in his homeland of Russia, the Washington Capitals' season ended long ago.
During the season, did Ukrainian protesters jump the glass and run onto the ice with Ukrainian flags at any of his games? Of course not, they would have been arrested. Ovechkin is a keen supporter of Putin, but stays mostly silent while playing hockey in North America.
Ovechkin does not dictate policy.
Ovechkin does not influence the movement of troops in Ukraine.
Ovechkin uses his free speech rights, in the country of his workplace, when asked, and gives vague responses like "Russia is my home."
Ovechkin rarely, if ever, mentions any type of politics performing his hockey duties.
You may argue back "apples and oranges!"
And I would agree with you. Ovechkin is a by-product of foreign politics. You may agree with the invasion of Ukraine, you may disagree, but we NOT talking about Ovechkin's religion.
I assume he's Orthodox, that's the prominent religion around Moscow, but that's strictly a guess. Can you imagine the outcry if Americans started to protest random Orthodox citizens?
Substitute the word Jewish with any other mainstream religion and we wouldn't be putting up with the crap that's happening to Jerry Seinfeld.
And let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you hate Jerry Seinfeld.
Would you put up with people protesting other Jewish Comedians?
What about Jon Stewart?
Adam Sandler?
Mel Brooks?
Right now we are right at the Free Speech line.
Jerry Seinfeld was just in a movie about Pop-Tarts-
His stand-up is about nothing.
POP TARTS!!!!