Seattle Comedy Club Cancels Four Unwoke Comics
Kurt Metzger, Jim Florentine, Dave Smith and Luis J. Gomez deemed problematic
Think Cancel Culture is going the way of the 8-track tape? Try again.
A Seattle comedy club just canceled four comedians from its winter/spring schedule after “careful consideration and discussions with our team, investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups.”
Kurt Metzger, Jim Florentine, Dave Smith and Luis J. Gomez were scheduled to play Capitol Hill Comedy / Bar in Seattle in the coming weeks.
Metzger, the co-host of “The Jimmy Dore Show,” shared an update on his Seattle appearance on his X account. [Warning: Adult Language]
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
The note from Jes Anderson, the club’s owner and booker, doesn’t directly explain why any of the four comedians are not suitable to be heard at the club in question. It’s not a matter of poor ticket sales, either, since some of the shows are still several weeks away and could in theory sell out between now and then.
These comedians tell the “wrong” jokes. There’s no other explanation.
Metzger is a show business veteran, an Emmy-winning writer with credits including “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Chappelle’s Show.” His work alongside Dore routinely deconstructs media narratives on the Left, Center and Right.
Florentine also has decades in stand-up comedy and provided voices for Comedy Central’s “Crank Yankers” program. That gig included voicing Special Ed, a mentally challenged puppet that was memory holed by Comedy Central’s YouTube channel.
Smith is a Libertarian comedian and host of the “Part of the Problem” podcast. He’s graced such “problematic” podcasts as “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Tim Pool IRL.” Gomez, part of the “Legion of Skanks,” podcast, is the founder of the GaS Digital podcast network. He’s arguably the most irreverent of the quartet.
Gomez took the cancellation in stride, noting it’s hardly the only comedy club that refuses to book him.
Yes on today’sReal Ass Podcast. But to be fair it’s their right to book who they want to book. They weren’t particularly shitty about it. I’ll find another venue. I would not have chosen to make a stink about this. There are plenty of venues that will not book us. https://t.co/dLG1MzcCG6
— Luis J. Gomez (@luisjgomez) February 23, 2024
Florentine quipped, “I guess I need to clean up my act” on X.
Anderson defended her decision via a message shared by Metzger.
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.
Given the feedback and to avoid any potential negative impact on both our club and the artists involved, as well as to maintain the harmony within our community, we believe the most responsible course of action is to not move forward with the shows.
Anderson, a stand-up herself, offered a laughable defense of the art form in her note.
We truly value the art of comedy and the diverse perspectives it brings to our lives.
Her club regularly features “open-mic” comedians, and who knows what they may say on a given night. Capitol Hill also shares a regular showcase dubbed “Queers to the Front.”
Celebrate the vibrant voices of the queer community with our specially curated open mic night! At “Queers to the Front,” we amplify the stories, jokes, and narratives of marginalized voices, carving out a space for authenticity, diversity, and unapologetic humor.[emphasis added]
The latter phrase seems suspect given the cancellation of the aforementioned comics.
They forbid open micers from coming also.
It’s mostly white ladies that are not marginalized that try to censor people.
Antifa doesn’t care about a comedy club.
lmao it’s their right and i’m sure these unfunny potatoes will survive.
Wokesters in the audiences don’t want to be asked to think hard through comedy about their attitudes. They’d rather just be gently assured that they are (above all) morally and ethically superior.
We all know where this is going… the remaining libtard comedians will be too woke and politically correct to be funny, their routines will devolve into political ragefest rants, people will stop going to the comedy club, and in time we’ll see news items that the Capital Hill Comedy Club is declaring bankruptcy and closing its doors. Because woketards walk around as though the world were ending, acting as though everything is an existential crisis… “Komödie ist verboten, mein genosse. Heil wutfest!”. They just can’t help themselves. LOL
I think this is a wake-up call and a call to action for all comics who support free speech, I mean actual free speech. Don’t perform at this club. I know I will be canceling my performances.
“The note from Jes Anderson, the club’s owner and booker, doesn’t directly explain why any of the four comedians are not suitable to be heard at the club in question.”
Come on, we all know it was a shakedown. The CHAZ folks came in and said something like, “Nice comedy club you’ve got here… it’d be a shame if it burnt down…”
That was my first hunch, too.
Honestly, Seattle is another dystopian city that was destroyed by radical leftists.
Well I had not heard of any of these comics but you know damn well I’m about to find out! Let’s hope this closed door opens a hellova big window for these folks.
This isn’t a comedy venue it’s a virtue signaling dumpster fire.
“We truly value the art of comedy and the diverse perspectives” – but they don’t
Jes Anderson sounds like a real bleep.
I was notified yesterday the shows were canceled and I’d receive a refund for the tickets I’d already purchased. I still haven’t gotten that refund; and I guess I’ll be driving to Portland to see these guys because Seattle is strongly opposed to free speech, expression, diversity of thought, and open dialogue.
Thanks, Seattle!
Let us know if you get your refund!
Finally got it, this morning. Luckily the Portland tickets are almost the same price.
Come on. This is in Seattle. It’s not a bellweather for the fate of wokeness.
That said, I do think the celebrations for the death of Woke are premature. It may be on the ropes, but all it takes to turn the tide in its favor again is one solid counterpunch. We all need to keep up the pressure.
Fully expect all of these ‘canceled’ comics to rip on this venue during their next act, and sincerely hope they do. May their careers all skyrocket as a result of this.
just one antifa brown-shirt tweaking on hormone blockers and bath-salt can ruin your day. seattle is lost and the club is scared.