Jerry Seinfeld's Pro-Israel Stance Sparks Artist Boycott of Lisbon Comedy Festival
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Jerry Seinfeld's planned appearance at a Lisbon comedy festival has led to artist boycotts due to his public support for Israel. Several Portuguese artists have withdrawn, citing his stance on the conflict and calling his actions indefensible.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Jerry Seinfeld's Lisbon festival appearance sparks artist boycotts.
- Artists cite Seinfeld's pro-Israel stance as reason for withdrawal.
- Portuguese actress and comedy duo cancel festival participation.
- Seinfeld has faced protests and responded with humor previously.
A new international comedy festival set to launch next month in Lisbon is facing controversy before its opening, primarily due to the planned headlining performance by comedian Jerry Seinfeld. His participation has triggered a wave of protests and cancellations from local artists who are boycotting the event.
The boycott stems from Seinfeld's outspoken and unwavering public support for Israel. Among the artists withdrawing is Portuguese actress Inês Aires Pereira, who stated in The Hollywood Reporter that she would not perform at the festival. She explained her decision by saying, "One of the names consistently defends ideas and actions that I consider indefensible. We cannot make genocide relative or normalize it."
The Portuguese comedy duo Cebola Mol also announced their withdrawal via social media, declaring, "We will celebrate justice, freedom, and joy with you on another occasion." They accompanied their statement with an image of a watermelon, a symbol associated with Palestine.
Seinfeld has faced anti-Israel sentiment since October 7th. In 2024, footage emerged of protesters interrupting his stand-up show with anti-Israel chants. Seinfeld responded with humor, remarking, "You're back! The protesters are back! I missed you." He also quipped that their protest, by attending his show, ultimately supported another Jew.
In a separate incident, a pro-Palestinian demonstrator repeatedly interrupted another of Seinfeld's performances. Seinfeld eventually ejected the protester, drawing applause from the audience, and told him, "This is a comedy show, you idiot, get out of here. You have three seconds before you get your ass kicked."
