Stranger Things actor and author Brett Gelman's appearance on Book Soup on March 27 has been canceled.
The shop stated that growing threats "became a safety risk we were not willing to take.
" The business has sponsored numerous contentious authors over the years and has rarely canceled, but stated "the current charged environment" pushed it to.
Gelman has been outspoken in his support for Israel in the aftermath of October 7, but maintains the book tour cancellations were due to his emphasis on his "Jewish identity."
Gelman's book, The Terrifying Realm of the Possible: Nearly True Stories, is not overtly political and is reminiscent of Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint.
The book features five interconnected short stories presented from the perspectives of five different Jewish people.
According to Gelman, it was a "return to the literature that I loved and that I felt wasn't being represented — dark Jewish humor." The book is slated to be released on March 19.
His performances at Book Passage in San Francisco and The Book Stall in Winnetka, Illinois have both been canceled, as has his scheduled presentation at Town Hall in New York on March 19.