The Stardome Comedy Club in Hoover put out a statement on Wednesday explaining its reasoning for canceling actor and comedian Michael Rapaport's performance the previous night over threats.
Rapaport, a staunch defender of Israel, wrote on social media, "It was shut down because of protests and threats over my support for Israel and for speaking up about the 50 hostages still being held in Gaza. 670 days in captivity—and people are protesting me for demanding their release?"
"It’s embarrassing. It’s sad. But I’m not ashamed," he added. "I stand by what I say and who I stand with."
Stardome owner Bruce Ayers defended the comedy club's decision, saying that after receiving "over 100 messages on social media urging cancellation, along with notice of planned protests at the venue," he decided to cancel the event with "full support" from Rapaport's management team.
"We agreed to the show simply as a comedy booking - not to make any kind of political statement," Ayers said in a statement put out on Facebook. "We have a long history of hosting a wide variety of entertainers, and our intention was only to give fans a chance to enjoy a night of live comedy."
"This wasn't about silencing anyone," he added. "It was about avoiding a potentially volatile situation and keeping things safe and peaceful for everyone involved."
The Stardome said that full refunds were being issued to all ticket holders.
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