The New York Comedy Club was the target of serious threats as a result of the venue booking comedy Ari Shaffir to perform, according to TMZ. He was slated to be on stage on Tuesday, but the show was cancelled.
Shaffir became the target of angry fans after some disparaging remarks he made about Kobe Bryant in the hours after he died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
The comedian recorded a video and posted it to social media of himself mocking the death of the basketball legend.
“Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today. He got away with rape because all the Hollywood liberals who attack comedy enjoy rooting for the Lakers more than they dislike rape. Big ups to the hero who forgot to gas up his chopper. I hate the Lakers. What a great day!” he said.
Shaffir was reportedly dropped by his talent agency amid the fallout from the video, and he later deleted the post altogether.
He then took to Instagram to issue an explanation in defense of himself.
“Every time a beloved celebrity dies I post some horrible s—about them,” he wrote. “I’ve been doing it for years now. I like destroying gods. And right when a famous person dies they’re at their most worshipped. So as a response to all the outpouring of sympathy on social media, I post something vile. it’s just a joke. I don’t really hate any of the people.
“Kids dying like that, it’s horrible,” he added. “All the other people dying, that [sic] horrible too. It’s horrible he died. Really really sad. What a terrible thing that was that happened.”
On Wednesday, social media was used for something far more heartfelt when Kobe’s widow, Vanessa, shared a touching tribute to her husband.
We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately,” she wrote, in part. “There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.
“I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them,” she continued. “But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.”
