Hoover’s Stardome Comedy Club Cancels Michael Rappaport’s Show
Hoover’s Stardome Comedy Club has faced backlash after canceling comedian Michael Rappaport’s performance on Tuesday night.
The club stated that it made the decision due to concerns about “potentially unstable circumstances” and anticipated protests linked to Rappaport’s strong stance in favor of Israel.
Stardome owner Bruce Ayers noted that leading up to the event, the venue received over 100 messages on social media urging cancellation and alerting them to planned protests. “We simply agreed to the show as a comedy booking, not to make political statements,” Ayers explained. “Our goal was to allow fans to enjoy a live comedy experience.”
Earlier this week, Rappaport reacted to the situation on social media, emphasizing that the cancellation was not his decision.
My show at Star Dome, Alabama tonight has been cancelled.
I didn’t cancel. I will never cancel. Especially since I’m already in Birmingham, I’m ready to play.
It was closed to talk about the protests and threats against my support for Israel… pic.twitter.com/5xyv9qtkkv– MichaelRapaport (@michaelraport) August 5, 2025
In his post, Rappaport mentioned, “My show at Star Dome in Alabama tonight has been cancelled. I didn’t cancel, especially since I’m already in Birmingham and am ready to perform.” He further expressed frustration over the venue’s concerns regarding protests and threats related to his support for Israel and the ongoing situation with hostages in Gaza.
Ayers contended that the cancellation was not aimed at silencing Rappaport. “This wasn’t about silencing anyone. It was about avoiding potentially unstable circumstances and ensuring safety for everyone involved,” he remarked.
Rappaport, on his part, stated he won’t back down from discussing the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza. “That’s embarrassing. It’s sad. But I’m not embarrassed. I’m standing by what I say,” he asserted. He also mentioned a positive encounter he had with individuals from Chabad in Alabama during his visit.
