Students Storm Out in Protest During Jerry Seinfeld’s Shocking Duke University Speech!

Jerry Seinfeld, the comedian known for his role in the popular sitcom “Seinfeld,” was invited to give the commencement speech for Duke University’s class of 2024. However, not all of the graduates were present to hear his closing remarks.

Before Seinfeld, who is also known for his work on “Unfrosted,” delivered his 17-minute speech, a number of students who support Palestine chose to leave the outdoor ceremony on Sunday. This protest was in response to Seinfeld’s open support for Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The student protestors, dressed in their graduation attire, displayed large Palestinian flags and shouted “Free Palestine,” as reported by ABC 11.

When asked for a comment by The Times on Monday, a representative for Seinfeld chose not to respond.

Footage of the departure by the student protestors at the North Carolina-based institution has been widely shared on social media. The reaction to the protest was varied, with some members of the audience commending the students’ demonstration, while others disapproved of the boycott and voiced their support for Seinfeld, according to Duke University’s student newspaper, the Chronicle, on Sunday.

The protest by students at Duke University is reflective of the ongoing unrest on college campuses concerning the war between Israel and Hamas. The war began on October 7, following an attack on Israel by Hamas, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, the majority being civilians, with around 250 people taken as hostages. The counterattack by Israel has led to the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, as reported by the health ministry in Gaza.

In the past few weeks, student protestors advocating for Palestine throughout the country have urged their respective campuses to disclose any investments in companies associated with Israel, and to divest from these investments. Some of these student demonstrators have set up camps on their campuses as a part of their efforts, which has drawn a mixed response from pro-Israel demonstrators and those opposing the protest.

In March, it was announced by Duke University that Seinfeld would be the commencement speaker for the class of 2024. In the weeks leading up to Seinfeld’s speech, his wife, Jessica Seinfeld, faced criticism for her support of pro-Israel counterprotesters at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Jessica Seinfeld contributed a minimum of $5,000 to a GoFundMe campaign benefiting the counterprotesters, as reported by the Daily Beast. A few days after the GoFundMe was set up, the counterprotesters launched a violent assault against the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA.

After the student protestors left the ceremony on Sunday, Seinfeld delivered his speech. He advised the class of 2024 to be receptive to opportunities, to acknowledge their “privilege,” and to maintain their sense of humor as they transition into adulthood. He also offered an apology to the graduates for his 2007 animated film, “Bee Movie.”

“If any of you felt a bit uncomfortable about all the sexual undertones … I would like to apologize for that now,” he said.

Duke University also honored the “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” star, who is 70, with an honorary doctor of arts degree during the ceremony on Sunday. Jessica Seinfeld took to Instagram to discuss the student protest and her husband’s speech and honorary degree.

“Despite their efforts, it had no impact on the ceremony. In fact, they were boo’d and it inspired the crowd of 7,000 to chant ‘Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry!’ and applaud even louder,” she wrote. “Jerry’s speech was amazing and received a standing ovation from grads and their parents.”

This report includes contributions from The Associated Press.