A comedy club in Minnesota has canceled six sold-out shows featuring comedian Ben Bankas after a clip circulated online showing him making jokes about the late Renee Good.
The cancellations follow Bankas posting a video from a performance in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., shared to Instagram on Jan. 13 — just days after Good, a mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
In the clip, Bankas says, “Her last name was Good. That’s what I said after they shot her,” and goes on to insult Good’s wife and use a slur about Good. As of Jan. 31, the video had been viewed more than eight million times.
Bill Collins, the owner of Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St. Paul, said he decided to cancel the shows due to safety concerns for staff and audiences.
In an email statement, Collins said that after conversations with public authorities, legal counsel, and his staff — and amid what he described as heightened threats, increasing media attention, and the potential for civil unrest — the club concluded it could not adequately manage the risk.
He added that as a small venue, Laugh Camp does not have the resources needed to address the situation, and that the club’s priority had to be the safety of guests, staff, and performers.
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Local residents had indicated they were prepared to protest at Bankas’ scheduled appearances, which were set for Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. Collins said that was the point at which he moved forward with canceling the shows.
“The risks to our community, staff and guests are too great,” Collins told the outlet. He also said the decision could cost the club about $17,000.
Collins additionally told the Tribune that Creative Artist Agency (CAA), which currently represents Bankas, is seeking full payment for the canceled shows on the grounds that the comedian was ready to perform. Collins said CAA also told him it would not allow other agency clients to perform at the club until the dispute is resolved.
CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bankas addressed the cancellations in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, Jan. 29. In the clip, he tells the crowd, “I just found out that my shows were canceled in Minnesota,” drawing loud boos from the audience.
“‘F-ck ‘em,” he added, appearing to refer to Laugh Camp Comedy Club.
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He also wrote in the caption that he is “working on new venue and dates for the fine people of Minnesota.”
Bankas, who was born in Toronto and now lives in Austin, hosts YouTube’s The Tanakas Show, which his website says “reaches more than 10,000 monthly listeners.” His site also says he has been featured on InfoWars and Fox News.
The cancellations come as Minnesota has experienced heightened public anger and protests following the deaths of both Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by federal agents on Jan. 24.
In the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, thousands have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest ICE activity in the state.
A National Day of Action — also referred to as “ICE Out of Everywhere National Day of Action” — took place on Friday, Jan. 30. Organizers urged people across the country to take off work and avoid shopping as a way to “stop funding ICE,” along with participating in nationwide protests, according to their website.
