Comedian Jerry Seinfeld on Tuesday compared the "Free Palestine" movement to the Ku Klux Klan, saying both groups "don’t like Jews," during a surprise appearance at Duke University.
Seinfeld, who introduced Omer Shem Tov — an Israeli who was abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and held for 505 days — ridiculed anti-Israel activists at the student-led event and criticized what he characterized as the movement's failure to be direct about its views. "Free Palestine is, to me, just — you’re free to say you don’t like Jews. Just say you don’t like Jews," he said. He added, "By saying ‘Free Palestine,’ you’re not admitting what you really think," and quipped that compared with 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."
A Duke University spokesman said the school did not endorse Seinfeld’s remarks. In a statement, the university reiterated that it does not preview or approve remarks by outside speakers and called itself a place where "diverse perspectives on difficult and sensitive subjects are explored in a safe and respectful environment." The spokesman said Seinfeld was the surprise guest at the student-led program and that his appearance was not announced at his request so the focus could remain on Shem Tov’s spiritual journey during captivity. Several campus organizations provided logistical support for the event, the statement said.
Seinfeld’s remarks drew visible pushback on campus. Anti-Israel students have previously disrupted university events, and during Seinfeld’s 2024 commencement address at Duke, some students chanted "Free Palestine" or walked out after his introduction; their actions were largely met by other attendees chanting "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" Some members of the audience at the recent event also protested Seinfeld’s comments.
The event focused on Shem Tov’s account of his captivity and spiritual experience. According to organizers, Seinfeld asked that his appearance not be publicized ahead of time to keep attention on Shem Tov. Fox News Digital reported it had reached out to a representative for Seinfeld and had not immediately received a response.
Seinfeld is a vocal supporter of Israel and has faced anti-Israel hecklers at his comedy shows since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas. Campus debates over the Israel-Palestine conflict have prompted protests, counterprotests and administrative statements at universities nationwide, and Duke’s clarification that it does not endorse outside speakers’ comments reflects broader institutional practice.
Duke's statement reiterated that the presence of outside speakers should not be interpreted as institutional endorsement, and noted that the university regularly supports student-led events logistically without subscribing to the views expressed by invited guests. The remarks by Seinfeld and the campus reaction are the latest in ongoing clashes over protest and free-speech boundaries on college campuses amid the Israel-Hamas war.