Actor Michael Rapaport calls Columbia anti-Israel protests an 'embarrassment to New York City'
Comedian and actor Michael Rapaport said Monday the anti-Israel protests happening at Columbia University are an 'embarrassment to New York City.'
Comedian Michael Rapaport railed against cancel culture after he learned his comedy show was scrapped because of his staunch support for Israel.
In an episode of his podcast that dropped on Friday, Rapaport said he was upset when his agent told him his shows in Madison, Wisconsin, had been abruptly canceled due to the venue being threatened over his views.
"I was extremely p---ed off," Rapaport said. "I didn’t imagine, didn’t think that it would get to a point where my beliefs and me standing up for what I know is right, regarding Jews, regarding Israel, regarding being Jewish and just the right thing, would get to a point where a club would cancel my show because they are afraid of an incident happening."
Rapaport said his show in Madison sold out weeks ago, but when the comedy club started promoting a second show, it started receiving threats.
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Michael Rapaport said he was "embarrassed" by cancel culture after his show was canceled over threats because of his support for Israel. (Bobby Bank/Getty Images)
Rapaport said he felt it was important not to empower the people that wanted to silence him, and so he told his agent that the show must go on.
"This is just not okay. This is not a road that I felt comfortable going down, bowing down to these people," he said.
However, the venue canceled his Thursday show this week anyway.
The venue, Comedy on State, reportedly explained to ticket holders in an email that the show was canceled due to safety concerns stemming from "escalating protests" and the "contentious nature of the dialogue" surrounding the conflict in Gaza.
An anti-Israel protester in Cambridge, Massachusetts, shouts slurs at pro-Israel counter-protesters on Oct. 9, 2023. (Kassy Dillon/Fox News Digital)
"In light of the current environment downtown, marked by escalating protests and a contentious nature of the dialogue surrounding current affairs, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Thursday show with Michael Rapaport," the notice reportedly states. "The safety and well-being of our audience members, staff, and community are our top priorities, and we believe this decision is in the best interest of all involved."
Fox News Digital reached out to Comedy on State for additional comment.
On his podcast, Rapaport warned about the dangerous "precedent" of venues canceling comedians' shows over their beliefs.
"The idea that clubs could be bullied … Jewish people or anybody should be bullied, threatened, canceled boycotted or any of this s---, is so against anything that I believe in, anything that this country is about," he said.
Rapaport said he was "embarrassed" his support for Israel and Jews would get him canceled considering he has stood in support of people for several left-wing causes.
Liberal comedian Michael Rapaport claimed anti-Israel protesters on college campuses would help Donald Trump win in November. (Getty Images)
"I'm embarrassed about it. I’m not embarrassed because it happened to me. I’m embarrassed that it’s happening to Jewish people. I’m embarrassed because it happened to me because I'm speaking out on behalf of Jewish people … the hostages … on what I know is right," he said.
"Just like I spoke out on what I know is right on abortion, LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter," Rapaport added. I've talked and supported everybody, yet the reality is, right now, we’re by ourselves."
Later in the podcast, Rapaport warned that if anti-Israel protesters could cancel his show, the 2024 Democratic National Convention could turn into a "s---show" because of these protesters.
"Wait until the Democratic National Convention happens. It's going to be a f---ing s---show," he said.
"They don't believe in free speech, they don't believe in ramifications," he added of anti-Israel protesters on college campuses.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Rapaport for comment on the incident.
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