I was just talking with a friend the other day, remarking that I happily hadn’t seen much news of Duke students behaving badly as so many young people are doing with their violent antisemitic pro-Hamas protests at universities across the country—with Columbia and UCLA featuring some of the most prominent encampments. 

As a Blue Devil, I was glad not to see my alma mater plastered across TV screens these past few weeks. That all changed Sunday, as extremist students walked out of graduation as comedian Jerry Seinfeld was being introduced to speak. 

Shameful.

student walkout at Duke university commencement as Jerry Seinfeld’s speech is announced. his introduction by university president is being drowned out by “free free Palestine” chants ❤️‍🔥🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/oNLesaput3

— the great clown snorman (@iamschvitzing) May 12, 2024

The operation had been planned in advance:

As the comedian was introduced, video shows students carried flags and chanted 'free Palestine' as they marched out of Wallace Wade Stadium on Sunday.

A flyer distributed on campus said, 'When you see students walking out, follow them,' reported WRAL.

Seinfeld visited Israel and has vocally supported it since Oct. 7 when militant group Hamas killed 1,200 people and abducted 252 others, even as Israel's military operations since have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians. [This figure is supplied by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministriy of Health, an organization know for lying].

Most Dukies did not join the idiocy, and in fact, it sounded to me like a large number of them actually booed the action:

Other graduates shouted 'Jerry! Jerry!' as the actor received an honorary degree, and Seinfeld delivered his speech without major interruptions.

Hen Mazzig, an Israeli author who penned "The Wrong Kind of Jew," pointed out that actions like these only further antisemitism:

Students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony today to protest Jerry Seinfeld, who is a guest speaker.

Let’s be clear, walking out on Jewish speakers will do nothing to help Palestinians or promote peace.

It only incites further hostility against Jews. pic.twitter.com/FDKNtDN5L3

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 12, 2024

Seinfeld has been vocal about how wokeness—especially at colleges—has damaged comedy, perhaps irretrievably:

See: 

Elon Musk Agrees With Jerry Seinfeld That Comedy on TV Is Not Funny Anymore

Jerry Seinfeld's Era of Funny Television Isn't Coming Back, but It's Not All Bad News

Luckily, the comedian, who is a parent of two Devils, was eventually able to take the stage and give his speech. He preached hard work and love:

The comedian and his wife Jessica serve as national chairs of Duke's Parents Committee are the parents of a Duke alumna and a current Duke student.

During his speech, Seinfeld said his three real keys to life are hard work, paying attention and falling in love.  

'Whatever you're doing, I don't care if it's your job, your hobby, a relationship, getting a reservation at M Sushi,' he said. 

'Make an effort. Just pure, stupid, no-real-idea-what-I'm-doing-here effort. Effort always yields a positive value, even if the outcome of the effort is absolute failure of the desired result. This is a rule of life. Just swing the bat and pray is not a bad approach to a lot of things.' 

'Every chance you get, fall in love with your coffee. Your sneakers. Your Blue Zone parking space. I've had a lot of fun in life falling in love with stupid, meaningless physical objects,' Seinfeld said.

'I have truly spent my life focusing on the smallest things imaginable, completely oblivious to all the big issues of living.' 

It's too bad some of the students didn't have the decency to allow him to deliver his (excellent, IMHO) remarks unfettered. Had they stayed, they might have actually learned something.