Jerry Seinfeld has compared the Free Palestine movement to the Ku Klux Klan, according to a Duke University newspaper report of his surprise appearance on the North Carolina school's campus.
According to The Chronicle student newspaper, the 71-year-old Seinfeld star and stand-up comedian spoke to students Tuesday at the Durham, N.C., institution, where he compared those advocating for Palestinian liberation to the KKK white supremacy organization.
“Free Palestine is, to me, just — you’re free to say you don’t like Jews. Just say you don’t like Jews,” Seinfeld said, per the outlet, at an event with Omer Shem Tov, one of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the terrorist group's deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The attacks preceded the ongoing assault on Gaza by Israel, which has killed over 64,000 Palestinians in the region.
Per the publication, the star continued, "By saying, 'Free Palestine,' you’re not admitting what you really think,” Seinfeld stated. “So it’s actually — compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here because they can come right out and say, ‘We don’t like Blacks, we don’t like Jews.’ Okay that’s honest."
The event was held on behalf of the Chabad at Duke group, as well as the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, according to the Chronicle, which also reported that Sen. Sophia Chitlik moderated the presentation.
When reached for comment, a university spokesperson provided Entertainment Weekly with a statement via email.
"Universities are places where diverse perspectives on difficult and sensitive subjects are explored in a safe and respectful environment. Duke does not preview nor approve the remarks of outside speakers, and their presence on campus should not be understood as an endorsement of their views," the statement reads.
It continues, "Jerry Seinfeld was the surprise guest at the student-led event and introduced the program. At his request, his appearance was not announced in advance so the focus could remain on Omer Shem Tov’s spiritual journey during captivity. Several other Duke organizations co-sponsored the event by providing logistical support, as they do for many student-led programs."
EW has additionally reached out to representatives for Seinfeld for comment. EW has also attempted to reach Sen. Chitlik directly.
Calls for an end to violence in Gaza have sounded across multiple social and political sectors since the Oct. 7 attacks, particularly in the entertainment industry.
Hey, what's the deal with not being honest and just saying you're ok with genocide and that you desire the extermination of an entire people? Play Seinfeld theme song