Jerry Seinfeld’s Comment Involving the KKK and Palestine Attracts Controversy
In 1989, Jerry Seinfeld became an instant pop culture icon when his self-titled sitcom ‘Seinfeld’ premiered.
Updated Sept. 11 2025, 9:25 a.m. ET
As one of the most famous names in Hollywood, Jerry Seinfeld is used to making headlines — both for his work and for his personal life, and now his recent comments have drawn a whirlwind of controversy. During a September 2025 appearance, the Emmy winner made comments involving the Klu Klux Klan and Palestine. Let’s break down what happened.
In 1989, Jerry Seinfeld became an instant pop culture icon when his self-titled sitcom Seinfeld premiered. The show, which ran for nine seasons, earned a host of critical acclaim and awards, including Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
Jerry Seinfeld’s KKK comment about Palestine attracts controversy.
Speaking at Duke University on Tuesday, Sept. 9, Jerry Seinfeld compared the “Free Palestine” movement to the KKK, according to Variety. “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 at an event attended by Omer Shem Tov, a former Israeli hostage held captive by Hamas for 505 days.
"By saying ‘Free Palestine,’ you’re not admitting what you really think,” Jerry, who has an honorary degree from he university, continued. “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.’ OK that’s honest.”
Following his remarks, a spokesperson for Duke told the campus newspaper The Chronicle the university did not condone Jerry's comments. “Duke does not preview the remarks of speakers who are invited to campus, and the invitation of speakers to campus does not imply any endorsement of their remarks,” the statement read, via Variety.
This isn’t the first time that the comedian has faced backlash for his views.
In June 2024, he was heckled by Palestine supporters who attended his comedy show in Australia, who chanted “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” per the Times of Israel.
“We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. He solved the Middle East!” Jerry fired back sarcastically. “It’s the Jewish comedians, that’s who we have to get! They’re the ones doing everything.”
After one heckler was removed from the venue, Jerry said, “Go ahead, keep going! They’re going to start punching you in about three seconds so I would try to get all of your genius out so we can all learn from you. It’s a comedy show, you moron! Get out of here.”
While promoting his 2024 film Unfrosted, Jerry discussed the reaction to his trip to Israel just weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. “It never crossed my mind that people would look at me as anything other than, “I like this comedian. I don’t like this comedian,” he told GQ.
When asked if he regretted his decision to visit Israel at the time, he made it clear that he did not. “No, not at all,” Jerry said matter-of-factly. “I don’t preach about it. I have my personal feelings about it that I discuss privately. It’s not part of what I can do comedically, but my feelings are very strong.”