Some members of Duke University‘s graduating class of 2024 walked out of the ceremony as comedian Jerry Seinfeld began his commencement speech on Sunday.
Seinfeld, 70, was the commencement speaker and also received an honorary doctorate degree. During his introduction, students left their seats while waving Palestinian flags. The crowd encouraged Seinfeld, drowning out any shouts from the students leaving by chanting “Jerry.”
As Seinfeld, a Jewish comedian who grew up in New York, began his speech, he did not address the protests, which likely stemmed from the fact that he has been vocally supportive of Israel. He instead opted to give advice to any Duke graduate trying to change the world.
“I totally admire the ambitions of your generation to create a more just and inclusive society. I think it is also wonderful that you care so much about not hurting other people’s feelings in the million and one ways we all do that every second of every day. It’s lovely to want to fix those things, but — all caps BUT — what I need to tell you as a comedian do not lose your sense of humor,” Seinfeld advised. “You can have no idea at this point in your life how much you are going to need it to get through.”
Students all over the country have participated in pro-Palestinian protests due to the heavy civilian Palestinian casualty count as Israel fights with Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University similarly walked out during Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R-VA) commencement speech. Seinfeld’s advice was to make sure to have some laughs along the way because “that is the one thing at the end of your life you will not wish you did less of.”
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“And I know all of you here are going to use all of your brains and muscle and soul to improve the world, and I know you’re going to do a bang-up job. And when you’re done as I am now, I bet the world because of you will be a much better place, but it will still not make a whole hell of a lot of sense,” Seinfeld said. “It’ll be a better, different but still pretty insane mess and it is worth the sacrifice of an occasional discomfort to have some laughs. Don’t lose that.”
The comedian’s own daughter, Sascha Betty Seinfeld, graduated from Duke University in May 2023.