Most of the time when a comedian calls out a heckler or someone just being disruptive in the audience it leads to laugh, maybe some applause and generally ends with getting the audience behind you. That wasn’t quite the case with what happened to Pete Holmes.
The Boston Herald reports that during a recent guest spot on Conan, the comedian revealed that he told a heckler to “shut the f—k up,” only to find out after that it was Malia Obama. During his set he said he noticed two women giggling and whispering to themselves in the front row. After asking them to please stop a few times he pulled the stage curtain on them. He thought it would get a laugh from the crowd only to find that this turned the audience against him. It wasn’t until he left the stage that he realized he had just berated and pulled the curtain on Malia Obama.
Oof. I’ve heard of having dates with the president’s daughter but cussing her out at a comedy show? That’s just not the move. I know people who have been stomped for less. I’m honestly amazed Secret Service didn’t hit his ass with the RKO out of nowhere as soon as he grabbed the curtain. Honestly, that’s how this story should’ve ended. No ill will towards Pete Holmes but “Comedian Catches Secret Service Fade” is a story with all kinds of jokes waiting to be cracked.
Sigh. What could have been.
Anyway, here’s video of Holmes recounting the incident on Conan.