'I don’t care about Palestine,' Jerry Seinfeld tells activist

The 70-year-old comedian was approached by social media personality Subway DJ outside Saturday Night Live’s 50th-anniversary celebration at Radio City Music Hall.

In the video, Subway DJ asked Seinfeld for a selfie, to which the comedian agreed. As they posed, the activist suddenly said, “Free Palestine,” while flashing a peace sign. Seinfeld, caught off guard, paused briefly before responding, “I don’t care about Palestine,” and walking away.

The clip quickly went viral, sparking intense online debate. Critics called Seinfeld’s response dismissive and insensitive. One user wrote, “We don’t care about Seinfeld", while others mocked the comedian's past scandals.

Another added, "What do you expect from a Zionist."

One noted Palestine is much older than 16 years old so it makes sense why Seinfeld doesn’t care for it. 

Others defended the comedian, arguing that the activist’s approach was disrespectful.

"It's disingenuous to try to get a celeb on camera to say something political. Pathetic" one said.

Seinfeld has been a vocal supporter of Israel, especially after October 7. He traveled to Tel Aviv to meet with families of hostages and has stated, “I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people.” 

In 2024, many students of the esteemed Duke University left their graduation ceremony on Sunday, some of them shouting “Free Palestine” when guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, started giving a speech.

Seinfeld is a known Zionist who has shown support for Israel during the Gaza genocide and according to media reports, sent money to the violent counter-agitators who attacked pro-Palestine student protestors at UCLA. A video on social media shows students in graduation robes and hats leaving the ceremony. Some were holding Palestinian flags. The ceremony was held in the university’s football stadium in North Carolina. Reuters confirmed the date and place of the video.

One person wore a keffiyeh, a scarf often used to show support for Palestinians. Some others cheered “Jerry! Jerry!” when Seinfeld got an honorary degree. Seinfeld gave his speech without big interruptions.

Many of you are probably thinking, ‘I can’t believe they asked him to come.’ But it’s too late,” he said, promising to “defend” the idea of privilege. “I believe you should use your privilege. I grew up as a Jewish kid from New York. That’s a privilege if you want to be a comedian,” he added.

“We know that people feel strongly in our community, and just like we’ve done all year, we support everyone’s right at Duke to share their opinions peacefully. But we also want graduates and their families to enjoy their special day,” said Duke spokesperson Frank Tramble in a statement.

Seinfeld has been to Israel and openly supported it since October 7, when Israel started the genocide in Gaza. This action led to more than 35,000 deaths including 15,000 children, as reported by health officials.

The White House mentioned on Tuesday that President Joe Biden is okay with peaceful protests during college graduation ceremonies where he and other officials will speak. The walkout at Duke University’s graduation is the latest example of protests happening on US campuses. Students are asking universities to stop investing in companies that profit from war and to give amnesty to students and staff who have faced consequences for protesting.