Comedy is subjective, and sometimes certain jokes strike a nerve. That’s exactly what happened during a California comedian’s show when he made a joke about ICE. It turned out there was an ICE supporter in the audience, and she was not amused.
The heckler suddenly stood up and shouted, “Then kick me out,” as she began loudly defending ICE. One of the reasons she gave for her stance was that she comes from “a family that supports military,” even though the military has nothing to do with ICE. Her outburst immediately irritated much of the crowd.
Rather than letting the situation spiral further or giving the heckler control of the room, the comedian chose to stand his ground. He addressed her directly and attempted to de-escalate the confrontation, drawing support from the audience while keeping the show from completely derailing.
The California comedian then directly addressed the woman in the crowd. “Consider me ICE,” he said, before clarifying that he wasn’t going to deport her. “If you don’t like the material, you have the option to leave,” he added.
Instead of sitting down, the heckler doubled down. “I have four brothers who served our military,” she said, presenting it as justification for defending ICE. The comedian made an effort to keep the crowd from escalating, as several audience members clearly wanted to argue with her.
He then shifted the conversation to Renee Good’s death. “She is a citizen,” he said. “You may not agree with her politics. You may think that she made a mistake in being in that situation, but did she deserve to get shot three times?” he asked.
Members of the audience chimed in, noting that Good was shot in the face, with one person calling ICE a “terrorist organization.” Still, the woman refused to back down. “But then put your brother in that situation that’s been run over,” she said, a claim many felt was debatable. The comedian continued trying to reason with her, but she then placed the blame on Good herself. “It’s not like she was not knowing of what she was doing,” she insisted.
At that point, much of the crowd wanted her removed. The comedian stepped in again, telling them he would give the exchange “30 more seconds.” He made it clear that regardless of her opinion, he would continue telling the same jokes.
Showing more patience than many performers likely would have, the comedian explained that while she was free to watch and even be angry, she wasn’t allowed to keep interrupting and ruining the experience for others. He referenced the First Amendment and freedom of speech as he spoke, while the heckler remained standing. Eventually, she sat down.
That didn’t end the moment. “They train officers not to stand in front of cars. They also train children to do that,” the comedian said, drawing agreement from the crowd.
The woman interrupted once again. The comedian asked what she did for a living, and she replied, “Insurance.” He asked her to repeat it, apparently not hearing her clearly the first time. Her response came back sharper and more hostile. That was enough to prompt one final joke directed at her. “It’s funny you do insurance,” he said. “I thought you would understand risk.”
The video ended there, and it remains unclear whether the woman eventually left the show. The only small mercy for her was that the comedian blurred her face in the footage.
People Reacting to the California Comedian Standing Up to the Heckler
Many people praised how the California comedian handled the heckler during his show. Since the woman in the crowd was White, some viewers expressed embarrassment on behalf of her behavior. “As a white woman, I’m embarrassed,” one person wrote. Another woman replied, “I’ve lost count of how many times I have said those exact words over the last 12 months,” reflecting how common that sentiment felt to her.
Others pointed out how the heckler was off base for equating ICE with the military. “ICE isn’t military?” one commenter asked. Another added, “Calling ICE military is an offense to her siblings who served.” Several people agreed, insisting, “ICE is NOT military.”
Even a veteran weighed in, writing, “As a veteran, I am appalled at how many times people use us and our active duty brothers and sisters as excuses for their hate.” For many watching, the crowd’s reaction and the comedian’s response highlighted that empathy, respect, and understanding matter far more in comedy and public discourse than misplaced comparisons or interruptions.
If you’d like, I can tighten this for social media or adjust the tone.
More people continued applauding the California comedian while criticizing the heckler’s behavior. Many took issue with how she appeared to suggest that Renee Good somehow deserved what happened to her. One woman pointed out the double standard, writing, “I love how she somehow ‘deserved it/had it coming’ and how bad her political views were and so on, but Kirk was suddenly just a father and husband and no one should have done it to him because of his political opinion.”
That comment resonated with others. Another person replied, “That’s their view on everything. They think they should be allowed to hurt others and subject them to laws and rules that they themselves are exempt from. They are a movement of pure 100% middle school bullies.”
For many viewers, the exchange reinforced why the comedian’s calm but firm response stood out. Hopefully, the heckler will think twice before disrupting another show in the future.
