A Seattle comedy club abruptly canceled four comedians’ shows, citing the neighborhood’s “progressive values.”
Capitol Hill Comedy Bar dropped shows from April to October for comedians Dave Smith, Luis Gomez, Jim Florentine, and Kurt Metzger.
Two of the comedians, Florentine and Metzger, shared the email they said they received from the comedy club informing them their shows were canceled.
The club called it a “challenging situation” and said it considered the matter with investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups.
I guess I need to clean up my act. My comedy shows in Seattle are cancelled along with @luisjgomez @ComicDaveSmith and @kurtmetzger.
After careful consideration and discussions with our team, investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups, we've encountered a…
— Jim Florentine (@Mrjimflorentine) February 23, 2024
I’m sorry, but this is too funny not to immediately put on blast! 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 shit! BRB! pic.twitter.com/K4gGSGoPkW— Kurt Metzger (@kurtmetzger) February 23, 2024
“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,” the comedy club wrote in the email. “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 added that it would refund people’s tickets for these events and promised that “we truly value the art of comedy and the diverse perspectives it brings.”
“I guess I need to clean up my act,” Florentine posted Friday on X.
Metzger expressed how hilarious he found the decision.
“I’m sorry, but this is too funny not to immediately put on blast!” Metzger posted Thursday 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…,” the comedian added.
The comedy club is located in the former Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) area of Seattle, the six-block area leftist anti-police protesters barricaded and declared “autonomous” after George Floyd died in police custody in 2020.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP
Gomez commented on his podcast that it is “the right of any business” not to book him but called the comedy club “super woke.”
“Are they idiots for booking us and then unbooking us? 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 f***ing blue-haired f***ing freaks?” Gomez said.
He added that another factor could be “young, jealous” local comics.
“This is what happens when comics don’t have anything going on. They just look for drama,” Gomez said.