Clay Travis/X
A group of Duke University graduates walked out of Jerry Seinfeld’s commencement speech in protest on Saturday.
Seinfeld, the legendary comedian, gave the commencement speech at the ACC school. As his name was announced prior to his speech, some students got up and left.
The students were reportedly protesting Seinfeld, who is Jewish, for being supportive of Israel in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.
“Jerry Seinfeld was the commencement speaker at Duke. Some students walked out of graduation when his name was announced because they believe Seinfeld has been too supportive of Israel,” Clay Travis wrote.
Jerry Seinfeld was the commencement speaker at Duke. Some students walked out of graduation when his name was announced because they believe Seinfeld has been too supportive of Israel. pic.twitter.com/X5V5KS7BNE
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 12, 2024
Seinfeld has received an honorary degree from Duke. His speech went on uninterrupted.
“Whatever you’re doing, I don’t care if it’s your job, your hobby, a relationship, getting a reservation at M Sushi,” the comedian said. “Make an effort. Just pure, stupid, no-real-idea-what-I’m-doing-here effort. Effort always yields a positive value, even if the outcome of the effort is absolute failure of the desired result. This is a rule of life. Just swing the bat and pray is not a bad approach to a lot of things.”
That’s a good message, to be sure.