Comedian defiant as Minnesota venue cancels six…
A Minnesota comedy membership abruptly canceled six sold-out exhibits by comic Ben Bankas after a viral clip of his stand-up routine — in which he mocked a lady who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent — ignited outrage.
Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St. Paul pulled the plug on Bankas’ scheduled January 30–February 1 performances after backlash erupted over jokes he made about Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mom of three who was killed during an encounter with federal immigration authorities earlier this month.
Bankas replied bluntly to the cancellations in a latest video posted to Instagram.
He told an viewers, “I just found out that my shows were canceled in Minnesota,” prompting loud boos.
“F–k ’em,” he added, showing to refer to the venue.
In the caption, Bankas wrote that he’s “working on a new venue and dates for the fine people of Minnesota.”
His response comes after he posted an Instagram video on January 13, filmed during a show in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., just days after Good’s death.
In the clip, which has racked up more than 8.9 million views as of February 3, Bankas said, “Her last name was Good. That’s what I said after they shot her,” and also referred to Good’s spouse as a “dog.” He also called Good “r—–ded.”
Good was shot and killed on January 7 after authorities said she swerved her vehicle toward an ICE officer.
Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, abruptly canceled six sold-out exhibits by comic Ben Bankas after a viral clip of his stand-up routine mocking Renee Nicole Good triggered outrage across social media. Instagram / Ben Bankas
Her death sparked protests in Minneapolis and past, intensifying scrutiny of federal brokers’ use of drive.
Tensions escalated additional after another Minneapolis agitator, Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by federal brokers on January 24.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other local leaders have publicly criticized ICE’s actions.
Bankas’ exhibits from January 30 to February 1 had been all canceled. Laugh Camp Comedy Club
As Bankas’ clip gained traction, St. Paul residents started signaling plans to protest exterior his upcoming exhibits, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune — a development that pushed the comedy venue to cancel.
In a assertion shared with PEOPLE, membership proprietor Bill Collins said the choice got here after weighing escalating dangers.
“After discussions with, and concern from, public authorities, legal counsel and staff, combined with heightened threats, increasing media attention and civil disorder, we have determined the risks and related liabilities cannot be overcome,” Collins said in an electronic mail.
Bankas made jokes about Renee Nicole Good, who was killed in an encounter with ICE brokers on January 7, saying, “Her last name was Good. That’s what I said after they shot her,” as the viral clip has nearly 9 million views online. Facebook/ODU English Department
“A small club like ours does not have the needed resources to mitigate current risks,” he added.
“We are obligated to place the highest priority on the safety of our guests, staff and talent, and we are left with no option but to cancel.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Bankas and Collins for remark.
Collins, who has operated the membership since 2007, told the Tribune the cancellations might value him roughly $17,000.
He also said Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents Bankas, is demanding full compensation for the canceled exhibits because the comic was ready to carry out.
According to Collins, CAA has also barred its other purchasers from reserving the membership until the dispute is resolved.
Bankas was born in Toronto and is now based in Austin, Texas.
He hosts YouTube’s “The Tanakas Show,” which his web site says reaches more than 10,000 month-to-month listeners.
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