From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 24, 2026
US theater cancels Israeli comedian’s show, saying ‘we don’t support genocide’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLuke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
A theater in Beverly Hills, California, says it canceled a show by Israeli comedian Guy Hochman, after a pressure campaign from anti-Zionist activists.
Fine Arts Theater Beverly Hills posts on Instagram that it received complaints about Hochman.
“We researched online and could not find any proof of the accusations other than from the original accuser,” the theater’s statement says.
The theater says it gave Hochman “the opportunity to refute the allegations” and asked him to make public statements “that he did not support the genocide, rape, starvation and torture of Palestinian civilians.”
Do you make all artists sign this crap or just the Jewish Israeli ones, Fine Arts Theatre?
Smells like a discrimination lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/9hjvtRkXlF
— Tali Goldsheft (@TaliGoldsheft) January 24, 2026
“He declined to do so. He is now banned from our facility. Our company is not political and does not ask the political beliefs of those that rent from us,” the statement says. “We want to make it very clear that we don’t support genocide.”
A New York City theater canceled a show by Hochman earlier this week after anti-Zionist protests.
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