Comedian Ben Bankas Says Canceled Shows Won’t Silence Him After Mocking Death of Renee Good

31 January 2026

Comedian Ben Bankas has found himself at the center of a cultural firestorm after six of his sold-out performances at the Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St. Paul, Minnesota were abruptly canceled following a viral clip in which he made provocative remarks about the late Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother of three who was fatally shot by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in early January 2026. The cancellation, which came less than a week before Bankas was scheduled to take the stage, not only upended his touring plans but also sparked a broader debate about where the boundaries lie between comedy, free speech and the consequences of public commentary on tragic events.

Good’s death on January 7 alongside another fatal shooting in the region set off protests and heightened tensions in the Twin Cities between law enforcement and community activists, a dynamic that made Bankas’s subsequent comedy set all the more controversial. In footage from a performance in Poughkeepsie, New York shared on January 13, Bankas joked about Good’s name and made disparaging comments about her and her partner, including using a slur; the video quickly racked up millions of views online and ignited outrage among social media users and local community members.

As backlash mounted, Laugh Camp’s owner, Bill Collins, decided the risk of continuing with the scheduled performances was too great. Collins told People that conversations with public authorities, legal counsel and staff, along with threats of protests outside the club, made it clear that hosting Bankas’s shows could jeopardize the safety of patrons and employees and expose the venue to potential liability. Collins candidly acknowledged that canceling all six sold-out shows — a loss he estimated at around $17,000 was a difficult decision but one he felt was necessary under the circumstances.

Bankas, who now lives in Austin and was born in Toronto, responded to the cancellations with defiance during a separate performance, later sharing a video of himself announcing the news to an audience. The crowd’s reaction was loud and filled with tension, and Bankas was recorded telling fans f--k ’em, a remark he later reaffirmed in his online posts as he pledged to find a new venue and reschedule dates for Minnesota audiences. His reaction underscored the complicated crossroads comedians often face when their material intersects with politically charged, emotionally raw public incidents.

The club’s decision also drew attention from Bankas’s talent agency, Creative Artist Agency (CAA), which reportedly demanded that the venue compensate its client for the canceled dates and has barred other CAA-represented performers from appearing at the Laugh Camp until the matter is resolved. The standoff has highlighted the ripple effects that can emerge when controversial comedy intersects with business relationships and contractual obligations.

Critics of Bankas’s remarks argue that there is a difference between edgy humor and commentary that appears to target a private citizen’s tragic death for cheap laughs, especially when that death is linked to a broader social and political crisis. Local comedians and community members expressed dismay at Bankas’s performance, with one comic describing the reaction of others who saw the video as visceral and disturbing, noting that some watching felt immediate discomfort rather than amusement.

Supporters of Bankas, on the other hand, have framed the situation as an issue of free speech and artistic expression, arguing that comedians have historically pushed boundaries and provoked discomfort as part of their craft. They contend that canceling performances based on the content of a comedian’s act sets a precarious precedent for artistic censorship, especially when material that some find offensive is also protected under principles of free expression.

The incident comes amid broader national conversations about the role of comedy in a climate of heightened sensitivity to cultural issues, particularly those involving violence, law enforcement and marginalized communities. Bankas’s humor, which previously included commentary on social and political topics, now sits at the center of discussions about how entertainers balance liberty with responsibility in a fragmented media landscape where any joke can be amplified and dissected by millions online within hours.

For Bankas, this controversy is not the first time his material has led to show cancellations. Venues in other cities have previously pulled bookings after determining that his comedic approach did not align with their stated values of respect, inclusion and cultural sensitivity. These decisions reflect a growing trend among some comedy venues to consider not only ticket sales and box office draws but also the potential for community response and reputational impact.

The case also underscores the broader impact of social media on local arts scenes: a single clip shared online can transform what might have been a quiet weekend of performances into a flashpoint for national discourse. Six shows that had promised to be among Laugh Camp’s most successful engagements now serve as a cautionary tale for venues and performers alike about how comedic content particularly when it touches on recent tragedy can carry consequences that extend far beyond the stage.

As Bankas seeks new venues and dates for his Minnesota fans, the incident remains a flashpoint in the ongoing culture wars over comedy, public discourse and the limits of acceptable satire. Whether his rescheduled shows will attract the same level of attention, and whether his audience will embrace his defiant stance or reflect a shift in how comedy is received in politically and emotionally charged environments, remains to be seen.