Any comedian will tell you that facing a silent audience is rough — but being actively walked out on? That’s another level of cold. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Jerry Seinfeld when he took the stage at Duke University this past May to accept an honorary degree.
For the 70-year-old comedy icon, it should have been a celebratory moment. Instead, it unfolded under a cloud of political tension and protest.
Seinfeld, best known for co-creating and starring in the legendary sitcomSeinfeld, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel — particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2024 Hamas attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza. His stance has drawn both admiration and controversy, and at Duke, it became a lightning rod.