A growing controversy over comments about the death of Renée Good has led to six sold-out comedy shows being cancelled in St. Paul, Minnesota. Comedian Ben Bankas was scheduled to perform at the Laugh Camp Comedy Club, but after videos went viral showing him making jokes about Good’s fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. He said, “Her last name was Good. That’s what I said after they shot her.”
The club’s owner called off all performances. Venue owner Bill Collins said the decision was driven by “heightened threats, increasing media attention and civil disorder,” and that all ticket holders have been refunded. In the controversial clip, Bankas also made offensive comments about Good’s partner and suggested she should have been shot sooner. Bankas has criticised the club’s decision and vowed to seek other venues in Minnesota.
Good’s death has sparked national protests and conversations about immigration enforcement and racial justice, amplified by reactions from artists like Bruce Springsteen, who recently referenced her and another victim in a new song.
