Seattle CHAZ-area comedy bar cancels comedians’ performances for betraying ‘progressive values’

Jim Florentine, Luis J. Gomez, Kurt Metzger, and Dave Smith were canceled by the Capitol Hill Comedy Bar in Seattle, Washington located near the site of the deadly 2020 autonomous zone.

Florentine posted an email he received from the comedy club's management that read, "After careful consideration and discussions with our team, investors, local comedians, and neighborhood advocacy groups, we've encountered a challenging situation that requires us to revisit the planned shows.”

"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."

"This decision was not made lightly, and we want to ensure it does not reflect on your talent and the quality of your work but is instead a reflection of our commitment to our community's values."

This is despite the club claiming it believes in the "art of comedy and the diverse perspectives it brings."

The club added that it would refund guests who already paid for tickets.

Metzger wrote on X, "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?” referencing the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in which Antifa and BLM activists seized control of 6 blocks of the city following the death of George Floyd.

Rapes, robberies, and murders skyrocketed 250 percent in the zone during the three weeks it existed.

He continued “THANK U GEORGE FLOYD! For the fun Im about to have with this on Twitter after I take a quick sh*t! BRB!"

Gomez reacted to the cancelation on a podcast saying, "Are they idiots for booking us and then unbooking us?"

"Yes, it’s a dumb move. Is my former agent an idiot for booking me at a super woke progressive venue that like the entire lineup is like… blue haired… freaks?"

Gomez joked that they were canceled because local comics were jealous. "That’s what happens when comics don’t have anything going on. They just look for drama."

Pundits and comedians on social media including Rob Schnieder ripped the club for the decision to cancel the shows.

In an interview following the cancelations, Metzger said of the club, "They're going to go out of business. They don't have real comics coming in. I looked at the lineup. It's kind of sad."