JTA — The Jewish lawmaker who followed Jerry Seinfeld on stage during an appearance at Duke University on Tuesday is decrying the comedian’s comments, in which he said pro-Palestinian protesters were worse than the Ku Klux Klan.

“I condemn Seinfeld’s horrific comments, which I’ve made clear to his team and to the event sponsors,” Sophia Chitlik, a Democratic North Carolina state senator, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I’m dismayed that his comments undermined the intention of this event, which sought to deescalate hateful rhetoric and uplift our shared humanity through a compassionate conversation about Omer Shem-Tov’s spiritual journey during the sacred month of Elul.”

Chitlik interviewed Shem -ov, a freed Israeli hostage who was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, during the event organized by Chabad at Duke. The event was also sponsored by Duke’s provost office and Center for Jewish Studies; its center for Jewish life; and pro-Israel advocacy groups with campus branches.

Seinfeld introduced Shem-Tov. During his remarks, the comedian stated, “Free Palestine is, to me, just — you’re free to say you don’t like Jews. Just say you don’t like Jews.”

Seinfeld, a Duke father whose youngest son is currently enrolled, continued, “Compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I’m actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here because they can come right out and say, ‘We don’t like Blacks, we don’t like Jews.’ OK, that’s honest.” His remarks were reported by the student newspaper.

Seinfeld’s appearance was a surprise; his participation had not been publicized beforehand. (His wife, the cookbook author and pro-Israel advocate Jessica Seinfeld, had........

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