The confirmation of Jerry Seinfeld's presence at the Commedia a La Carte festival triggered a succession of cancellations by Portuguese creators. Scheduled to take place between October 29th and November 1st at MEO Arena and various venues across Lisbon, the event celebrates the 25th anniversary of the improv collective led by César Mourão. However, the public contestation motivated by the American comedian's declared support for Israel's military actions in the Middle East opened a crisis in the lineup, given the silence maintained by the festival's direction and the production company.
The movement of withdrawal began visibly with the cancellation of the Conjunto Cuca Monga concert and the "Tributo Pop" production, a format that brought together Carolina Deslandes, Bárbara Tinoco and Tatanka on stage. Actress and comedian Inês Aires Pereira subsequently communicated the cancellation of her solo show "Namastê", emphasizing that the presence of a figure who "insistently defends ideas and acts" linked to the Israeli intervention in Gaza made her participation untenable. "We cannot relativize or normalize a genocide," she stated. The comedic-musical duo Cebola Mol followed suit shortly after.
At 72 years old, Jerry Seinfeld gained notoriety as co-creator and star of the eponymous series broadcast between 1989 and 1998. After the October 7th, 2023 attacks, he assumed a firm defense of the Israeli government's and armed forces' actions, traveling to Tel Aviv to contact families of hostages and making several of his international performances targets of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Despite the repercussions, César Mourão has not issued any public clarification and the festival's organization, co-produced by Last Tour and Aquele Abraço, has also not commented on the withdrawals or indicated whether the vacant slots will be filled. Herman José and the Australian group Umbilical Brothers remain listed on the official program.
