Four comedians canceled from Seattle comedy club after complaints from local progressives: Report
The club reportedly said that it would refund guests who had already bought tickets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Four comedians were canceled and prevented from performing at a Seattle comedy club after the organization said that local community members complained.
Dave Smith, Luis J. Gomez, Jim Florentine, and Kurt Metzger were canceled by the Capitol Hill Comedy Bar in Seattle, Washington, as flagged by the "Jason Rantz Show."
Florentine shared an email that he claimed he received from the comedy club's management.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Four comedians were canceled and prevented from performing at a Seattle comedy club after the organization said that local community members complained. (Getty Images / YouTube screenshot)
"After careful consideration and discussions with our team, investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups, we've encountered a challenging situation that requires us to revisit the planned shows," the email reportedly read. "Capitol Hill is known for its progressive values, and we've received significant feedback expressing concerns about the alignment of these upcoming shows with the neighborhood's ethos. This feedback includes concerns from local advocacy groups that are deeply embedded in our community and work towards upholding its values."
"This decision was not made lightly, and we want to ensure it does not reflect on your talent and the quality of your work but is instead a reflection of our commitment to our community's values," the club wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The club also promised that it would refund guests who already purchased tickets and wrote that it believes in the "art of comedy and the diverse perspectives it brings."
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The comedians spoke out on social media and in interviews after their gigs being cancelled.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}I guess I need to clean up my act," Florentine wrote on X. "My comedy shows in Seattle are canceled."
"I’m sorry, but this is too funny not to immediately put on blast!" Metzger wrote on X. "Also, am I mistaken that this club is in Seattle’s historic "CHAZ" district? (Kurt looks up toward heaven.) THANK U GEORGE FLOYD! For the fun Im about to have with this on Twitter after I take a quick s---! BRB!"
The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, also known as CHAZ, was a six-block area that activists seized in the wake of George Floyd's death in 2020.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gomez responded to his cancelation on his podcast, as flagged by Rantz.
"Are they idiots for booking us and then unbooking us?" he said. "Yes, it’s a dumb move. Is my former agent an idiot for booking me at a super woke progressive venue that like the entire lineup is like… blue haired… freaks?"
Gomez said that the cause of their cancelation might also be jealous local comics.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, also known as CHAZ, was a six-block area that activists seized in the wake of George Floyd's death. ((Photo by John Moore/Getty Images))
"That’s what happens when comics don’t have anything going on," he continued. "They just look for drama."
The Capitol Hill Comedy Bar didn't respond to a request for comment.