(PatriotSpotlight.org) – A Seattle comedy bar has hit the headlines for canceling performances over complaints from local Leftists. The city’s Capitol Hill Comedy/Bar scrapped planned sets from four popular comics: Dave Smith, Luis J. Gomez, Jim Florentine, and Kurt Metzger. The canceled comics have all appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” a podcast hosted by Rogan, himself a former comedian, and which hosts guests from across the political spectrum.
The club’s co-owner, Jes Anderson, told the comedians via email of their cancellations. Anderson said the decision had been taken in light of concerns raised by “progressive values” within the local community. Anderson stressed that the club was keen to “maintain harmony within our community,” hinting that the material of the canceled comedians’ could violate the liberal-leaning neighborhood’s ethos.
The row sparked backlash among the comedians and their fans. Florentine shared Anderson’s email via social media platform X formerly known as Twitter, slamming it as “dishonest and cowardly.” The four comedians stated their disbelief over the row, stressing that they were not politically conservative but did not adhere to “woke” beliefs.
Metzger, famed for his anti-establishment views, mocked the fact that the club was located within the erstwhile “CHAZ” district, referencing the area radical leftists barricaded during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Smith avoided directly responding to the but said he was aligned with anyone opposing war, suggesting his non-partisan views.
Florentine, speaking to NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live” program, made fun of the notion of consulting a local community before approving the performance of comedians, which he suggested was absurd. He also said that jealous local comics may have pressured the club into canceling the shows of “four straight, white males” known for their public personas.
Despite the setback, Florentine revealed that the comedians received overwhelming support, with offers pouring in from other venues. The Tacoma Comedy Club, located just outside Seattle, invited all four comedians to perform there, suggesting that many other venues in the region are opposed to ideological censorship.
The incident is one of many rows over political correctness and cancel culture allegedly stunting artistic freedoms in recent years. These issues have often reared their head in regards to comedy, due to many comics pushing cultural and political boundaries to source their humor.
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