Jewish actor Michael Rapaport has comedy show in Alabama cancelled over protest threats

Jewish actor comedian Michael Rapaport had a comedy show in Birmingham, Alabama cancelled on Tuesday, apparently at the last minute, with the actor only updating fans about the cancellation just hours before the event was to take place. 

Rapaport posted a note to several social media platforms, stating the show was cancelled after “protests and threats over my support for Israel.” 

My show tonight at the Stardome in Alabama was CANCELLED.
I did not cancel. I would never cancel—especially since I’m already here in Birmingham, ready to perform.
It was shut down because of protests and threats over my support for Israel and for speaking up about the 50… pic.twitter.com/5XyV9Qtkkv

— MichaelRapaport (@MichaelRapaport) August 5, 2025

The owners of the Stardome Comedy Club, where the show was to take place, cited safety concerns as the reason for canceling the show. 

According to WBRC Birmingham, Bruce Ayers, the owner of the Stardome Comedy Club said the show was booked as a comedy show, and not a political event. 

“We have a long history of hosting a wide variety of entertainers, and our intention was only to give fans a chance to enjoy a night of live comedy,” Ayers said. He told the news station that the club received over 100 messages calling for a cancellation because of protests planned at the venue. 

“Out of concern for the safety and experience of guests, staff, and the performer, the club decided — in agreement with Michael’s management team — to cancel the event," Stardome said in a statement. 

Ayers also said the cancellation was not to silence anyone, but to “avoid a potentially volatile situation and keeping things safe and peaceful for everyone involved.” 

However, Rapaport denied that he had agreed to cancel the show in his posts to social media, stating, “My show tonight at the Stardome in Alabama was CANCELLED. I did not cancel. I would never cancel—especially since I’m already here in Birmingham, ready to perform.” 

Rapaport was in Birmingham to film a movie and had scheduled the comedy performance on his night off. 

“It was shut down because of protests and threats over my support for Israel and for speaking up about the 50 hostages still being held in Gaza. 670 days in captivity—and people are protesting (against) me for demanding their release?” Rapaport wrote. 

Rapaport has encountered protests at previous shows over his outspoken support for Israel, appearing at hostage rallies and other pro-Israel events. 

Rapaport posted a picture of himself with two members of the local Chabad mission, while wearing teffilin. 

“Fortunately, I got to meet some incredible people from Chabad of Alabama today and had the blessing of wrapping tefillin—a ginormous mitzvah and a reminder of what really matters,” he wrote. “Am Yisrael Chai. [Hebrew for The nation of Israel lives]”