When Duke University invited Jerry Seinfeld to pick up an honorary degree and pepper the Class of 2024 with jokes and life tips, no one predicted that dozens of caps and gowns would file out before the punchlines even landed.

The 70-year-old comic has spoken openly in recent months about standing with Israel during the Gaza conflict. That position didn’t sit well with a segment of Duke graduates. As Seinfeld reached the lectern in May, rows of students rose, chanted “Free, free Palestine,” and streamed toward the exits, leaving the Emmy winner smiling stiffly while the rest of the crowd booed and cheered in equal measure.

Ever the professional, Seinfeld waited out the clamor, then leaned into humor: “A lot of you are thinking, ‘I can’t believe they invited this guy.’ Too late,” he quipped, before defending the idea of privilege—calling his upbringing as “a Jewish kid from New York” a built-in advantage for anyone chasing laughs.

His solidarity with Israel has remained resolute since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2024, and the Duke appearance underscored how polarizing that stance has become on college campuses. After the ceremony, university spokesman Frank Tramble stressed that Duke supports peaceful expression “without preventing graduates and their families from celebrating their achievement.”

For Seinfeld, the day was another reminder that even a career of crowd-pleasing doesn’t guarantee a friendly audience when politics enter the script.