Facebook/Mb Jackson
Sarah Silverman‘s comedy show in New Jersey got ugly before it even started — an elderly Black man was kicked out of the venue for protesting the infamous skit she did more than 15 years ago … in blackface.
The demonstrator, 71-year-old Michael B. Jackson, says he bought a front-row ticket to Sarah’s Feb. 4 show at the Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City … and showed up in blackface. He says his intent was a peaceful protest, but it caused a huge issue.
Jackson says 20 minutes into Sarah’s opening act, the comic … Rory Albanese, decided to address him. He claims Rory incited the crowd, insulted and bullied him and asked security to toss him out of the show, despite him saying he did not want to be apart of the routine and sitting silently. Another source who was at the show claims he was heckling and was given a warning.
That’s when a bunch of guards rolled up and told Jackson to move to a balcony seat. He refused to move, and pulled out his phone to record the interaction.
The video cuts out before things allegedly got physical — Jackson claims he ended up in the hospital after being attacked by several security guards, who he says forcibly removed him from his seat, carried him to a back hallway, dropped him facedown on the floor and handcuffed him.
A rep for the casino tells TMZ … Jackson only requested medical attention for anxiety after being evicted from the show, walking to his hotel room and coming back down to the lobby.
The casino says Jackson “presented himself as offensive” and they have the right to remove or relocate anyone from the property at any time. The statement went on, “Ocean prides itself with both a diverse workplace and customer base.”
Jackson claims Sarah was behind it all … he says she “had the security goons at the Ocean Resort Casino in AC attack me and rough me up” because he wore blackface to protest her 2007 skit.
Sarah wore blackface for a bit on her TV show, “The Sarah Silverman Project.” Jackson says the skit is littered with racist comments against African Americans thinly disguised as jokes.
Jackson believes he was kicked out for “racially motivated reasons” and feared for his life and well-being at the time. He claims police were called and gave him a ticket for trespassing. A rep for the casino confirms officers escorted him from the building when he refused to leave, and that’s why he got the ticket.
Bottom line for Jackson, “Sarah Silverman feels it okay for her to wear back face, but no one else.”
Thank you, @SarahKSilverman for the way you handled the heckler at your show last night. You addressed things head on, in an honest and contrite way, and were able to segue from an awkward start into an amazing show! #stilllaughingaboutthehellojoke #grownsomelips
— Chris Fox (@CMFox4) February 5, 2023
@CMFox4
Folks who were there say Sarah addressed the incident when she got onstage — explaining he was protesting the skit from 2007 and letting the audience know she’d never do something like that today. We’re told she also said if Jackson was still in the crowd she would’ve apologized to him for the skit.
We reached out to Sarah’s camp … so far no word back.
