Beverly Hills event hall cancels Israeli comedian’s performance while accusing Israel of “genocide” – then quickly reverses course and offers apology.
By World Israel News Staff
A California event hall banned an Israeli comedian from performing at the venue and cancelled a planned event after demanding he publicly distance himself from the alleged “genocide” in the Gaza Strip – before quickly reversing course.
On Saturday, the Screening Services Group announced that a performance scheduled at one of its venues in Beverly Hills had been cancelled and that the Israeli comedian who had been slated to appear was now banned.
The decision was made after the SSG received complaints regarding Guy Hochman, a comedian who has frequently integrated pro-Israel messaging into his online content and comedy routines.
“We rented our Fine Arts Theatre to an event promoter for a stand-up comic for an event on Tuesday, January 27th,” SSG President Michael S. Hall wrote in a statement posted to the group’s social media pages.
While Hall acknowledged that no evidence of wrongdoing or offensive behavior by Hochman could be found, he said that the SSG nevertheless demanded Hochman make public statements distancing himself from alleged misdeeds by Israel.
“We did not ask, nor were we given any information on the performer. We began receiving complaints about the performer Guy Hochman on Wednesday. We researched online and could not find any proof of the accusations other than from the original accuser.”
“We gave Hochman…the opportunity to refute the allegations and to release a press release and post on his social media that he did not support the genocide, rape, starvation, and torture of Palestinian civilians. He declined to do so. He is now banned from our facility.”
The ban, along with the demand that Hochman make a public statement against Israel, swiftly drew sharp criticism and allegations of antisemitic discrimination.
Later on Saturday, however, the SSG reversed course, lifting the ban on Hochman.
Hall penned a new statement, issued via the Fine Arts Theatre’s Instagram account, apologizing for the brief ban.
“I want to apologize, especially to the Jewish community, for my statement and for how this situation was handled,” Hall wrote, adding that he had issued the first statement after receiving a “large volume of messages, including threats of violence.”
“Under that pressure, I made the decision to cancel the show without giving the matter the careful thought and judgment it required. That was my mistake.”
“It was wrong to ask any artist to make political or ideological statements as a condition of appearing.”
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Hochman said he thought Hall’s apology was “insincere” and reflected the intense pressure on Hall, rather than actual regret.
Hochman added that he will not perform at the Fire Arts Theatre following the ban, despite being invited back by the venue’s management.
“I don’t want to perform there because he subjected me to a test,” Hochman said. “It was a loyalty test. I prefer my people above my career. And I will never say untrue things about my people — say we rape and starve and commit genocide. This is not the story. I don’t believe it. And it’s cynical.”
This is not the only performance of Hochman’s North American tour to be cancelled.
A show at the Broadway Comedy Club in New York was cancelled, following protests.
In Toronto, Hochman was detained for hours upon his arrival, after anti-Israel activists accused him of war crimes.
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