Jerry Seinfeld is famous for making people laugh, but at Duke University’s graduation, things got a bit serious. When he was awarded an honorary degree, some students walked out in protest, chanting about supporting Palestine. Despite the tension, Seinfeld smiled and thanked the audience.
During his speech, Seinfeld mostly stuck to his usual comedy routine and gave some advice for life. He didn’t directly address the protests but talked about growing up in New York as a Jewish person and how that influenced his comedy.
Outside the stadium, some graduates and others continued to protest, chanting about divesting from certain things. They even held their own graduation ceremony away from the main event.
Meanwhile, Seinfeld continued his speech inside, telling students it’s okay to feel uncomfortable sometimes as long as they can still laugh.
Seinfeld has been more vocal about his support for Israel lately, even though he’s usually not known for being political. He’s been talking about it in interviews and even went to Tel Aviv to meet with families affected by recent events there.
But he’s not trying to force his opinions on anyone. He says he keeps his feelings about Israel private and doesn’t include them in his comedy. Despite some criticism, his wife has also shown support for Israel on social media.
Not everyone at Duke was happy about Seinfeld speaking at graduation. One person even wrote a letter to the university asking for someone else to speak instead.
One graduate, Shreya Joshi, helped organize the protest against Seinfeld. She felt that celebrating graduation was trivial compared to what’s happening in places like Gaza. They left the ceremony when Seinfeld was getting his honorary degree because they didn’t want to hear him speak.
Overall, Seinfeld’s appearance at Duke’s graduation was a mix of comedy, controversy, and serious discussions about politics and activism.
