Watch: Jerry Seinfeld Tells Duke Graduates to Cherish 'Privilege,' Not Condemn It
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Legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld delivered a salient commencement speech at Duke University over the weekend, advising students to celebrate their privilege instead of feeling ashamed.
Though headlines focused on the small group of students who walked out of Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech due to his support for Israel, the actual substance of his remarks held great significance.
“Privilege is a word that has taken quite a beating lately. Privilege today seems to be the worst thing you can have. I would like to take a moment to defend it,” he told the crowd, prompting respectful applause.
Jerry further advised the students to “use” their privilege and make something of it.
“I grew up a Jewish boy from New York. That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian,” he said. “You went to Duke. That is an unbelievable privilege. I now have an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree, and if I can figure out how to use that, I will.”
As an example, Jerry talked about working on his hit sit-com Seinfeld in the 1990s and how certain writers and crewmembers would be ashamed to admit they went to a school like Harvard, which he jokingly said used to be a “good school.”
Jerry Seinfeld: "Privilege today seems to be the worst thing you can have. I would like to take a moment to defend it!" pic.twitter.com/e8IcxYbDte
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 13, 2024
The comedian also took jabs at AI, asserting that it encourages people to admit they cannot do anything and will instead ask a machine to do it for them.
“This is something to be embarrassed about. The ad campaign for ChatGPT should be the opposite of Nike: you just can't do it,” he said.
As Breitbart News reported, several students walked out of Seinfeld's commencement speech due to his support for Israel.
“Students at Duke University’s commencement walked out of the ceremony on Sunday in protest of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who was set to receive an honorary degree, with some students booing the comedian and shouting 'Free Free Palestine,'” said the report.
“Jerry Seinfeld has publicly supported Israel in the months since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. Video footage from Sunday’s ceremony posted to social media shows groups of students standing up and leaving in protest — with some of them carrying the Palestinian flag,” it added.
Jerry Seinfeld has not publicly commented on the matter.
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