LISBON, Portugal โ At least six Portuguese acts have withdrawn from an upcoming Lisbon comedy festival headlined by Jewish-American comedian Jerry Seinfeld, with several of the cancellations accompanied by pro-Palestinian statements or imagery that appeared to signal opposition to Seinfeld’s outspoken support for Israel.
The withdrawals involve the MEO Commedia a La Carte Fest, a new international comedy festival scheduled to run from October 29 through November 1 in Lisbon. Organizers have promoted the event as Seinfeld’s first live appearance in Portugal.
None of the artists cited by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency explicitly named Seinfeld in their withdrawal announcements.
That distinction is significant. While several statements strongly suggest that Israel and the Palestinians were factors in the decisions, the available evidence does not establish that all six acts withdrew specifically because of Seinfeld.
Actress and comedian Inรชs Aires Pereira provided one of the clearest explanations.
She said that “one of the names” appearing at the festival “persistently defends ideas and acts that I consider indefensible.”
Pereira also invoked allegations of genocide in Gaza in explaining her decision.
The comedy duo Cebola Mol announced its withdrawal alongside watermelon imagery, a widely used symbol of Palestinian solidarity.
“We will celebrate justice, freedom and joy with you on another occasion,” the duo said.
At Least Six Acts Withdraw
Festival organizers announced that performances by Tributo Pop and Conjunto Cuca Monga had also been canceled, but they did not publicly provide reasons.
Comedian Pedro Tochas and visual artist Vhils separately announced that they would no longer participate without publicly explaining their decisions.
Together, the departures bring the number of Portuguese acts reported to have withdrawn to at least six.
The circumstances surrounding the individual cancellations vary enough that describing all six as participating in an organized boycott of Seinfeld would go beyond the available evidence.
The pattern, however, has drawn attention because of Seinfeld’s increasingly public support for Israel and because some of the withdrawing artists explicitly used language or imagery associated with the Palestinian cause.
Representatives for Seinfeld and festival producers had not responded to JTA’s requests for comment when its report was published September 8.
Seinfeld Has Become An Outspoken Israel Supporter
Seinfeld, 72, spent much of his career largely avoiding overt political activism.
That changed substantially following the Hamas-led attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023.
In December 2023, Seinfeld traveled to Israel with his family and met relatives of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas.
Since then, he has repeatedly spoken publicly about Israel and confronted pro-Palestinian activism, making him one of the more visible Israel supporters in the American entertainment industry.
His position has also generated protests and criticism.
In 2024, approximately 100 students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony as Seinfeld was introduced to deliver the commencement address.
More recently, Seinfeld has made increasingly pointed comments about the “Free Palestine” movement.
During an appearance at Duke University with former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov, Seinfeld argued that the slogan had become a socially acceptable way for some people to express hostility toward Jews.
He compared pro-Palestinian activists with the Ku Klux Klan, arguing that the latter was at least explicit about its hatred of Jews and Black Americans. Students and others criticized his remarks and rejected the comparison.
Cultural Boycott Debate
The Lisbon withdrawals add another example to a growing international debate over whether Israeli artists, Israeli institutions and prominent supporters of Israel should face boycotts or exclusion from cultural events.
Supporters of such actions generally frame them as political protest against Israeli government policy and Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Critics argue that campaigns can cross into discriminatory exclusion when artists or other participants are targeted because they are Israeli, Jewish, or publicly identify with Zionism.
The distinction matters in the Seinfeld case.
No evidence currently shows that the festival has removed Seinfeld or changed its plans for his appearance. Nor has an organized boycott involving all six withdrawing Portuguese acts been established.
What has been documented is that multiple performers have left a festival prominently featuring Seinfeld, while some have accompanied those decisions with explicit pro-Palestinian messaging or criticism apparently aimed at one of the festival’s participants.
For now, Seinfeld remains scheduled to perform in Lisbon.
If the appearance proceeds as advertised, it will mark his first live performance in Portugal and will take place against a backdrop of a cultural controversy that began weeks before he takes the stage.
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