Seinfeld mocks pro-Palestinian hecklers, jokes about sending ticket money to Israel

Jerry Seinfeld sarcastically told pro-Palestinian hecklers at his Chicago Theatre show that “it’s a genocide, I’m into it,” danced as one was removed and joked about sending another’s ticket price to Israel, drawing a divided response online.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters during his Oct. 9 performance at the Chicago Theatre, in a confrontation that spread widely online. As Seinfeld wrapped up a bit about his phone service with the line “I’ve had enough,” a woman in the audience shouted, “I’ve had enough of genocide,” and asked how he could joke while U.S. taxpayer money went to Israel.

As security escorted her out, video shows Seinfeld doing a brief dance across the stage before saying, in a sarcastic tone, “I am a racist. It’s a genocide, I’m into it.” Later, a man stood up and shouted, “Seinfeld, you will see, Palestine will be free.” Seinfeld replied, “I’m gonna find out how much your ticket was and I’m sending it to Israel,” before adding, “No, I won’t, I’m keeping it.”

Protest groups posted the footage

Jerry Seinfeld performing

The clips were shared by the U.S. Palestinian Community Network-Chicago and Anti-War Chicago, according to The Times of Israel, and drew hundreds of thousands of views and a sharply divided reaction. TMZ reported that about eight demonstrators were escorted out over the course of the night, while Fox News reported that Seinfeld told the audience not to boo and said he supported the right to protest.

A long record of pro-Israel remarks

Seinfeld posted after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that he would “always stand with Israel and the Jewish people,” and visited Israel in December 2023, later calling the trip “the most powerful experience of my life.” In 2024, dozens of students walked out of his Duke University commencement speech, and in June 2026 he responded to a “free Palestine” remark outside Madison Square Garden by saying, “It doesn’t exist.” A representative for Seinfeld did not respond to Newsweek’s request for comment.

Seinfeld mocks pro-Palestinian hecklers, jokes about sending ticket money to Israel