Additional Coverage:
- Comedian’s harsh two-word response to venue canceling shows due to brutal Renee Good joke (themirror.com)
Comedian Ben Bankas is facing significant backlash and consequences after making what many are calling a “cruel joke” about the fatal shooting of Renee Good. Despite the outcry and the cancellation of his upcoming shows, Bankas appears to show no remorse for his comments.
Weeks ago, the 33-year-old comedian posted a clip from a recent performance where he began by ironically stating, “Now for a moment of silence for Renee Good.” This was a sarcastic reference to the January 7 death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, who was shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after an encounter at her vehicle.
During his set, Bankas continued to mock the tragedy, referring to Good’s wife, Becca, as a “dog” and making light of the circumstances surrounding Good’s death. “Her last name was Good.
That’s what I said after they shot her in the face,” he quipped to laughter from his audience. He further described Renee Good as “the left’s Charlie Kirk” and used derogatory terms, including “dumb, crazy retarded lesbian.”
Bankas also controversially stated, “If you watch the footage, she should have been shot 10 minutes before that.”
While his immediate audience seemed to find the jokes amusing, online reactions were overwhelmingly negative. Instagram users flooded his comment section with criticism, with one user exclaiming, “Are you kidding me?
How does anyone make a joke about this incident? Wow.”
The controversy led to serious repercussions for Bankas. Bill Collins, owner of the Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St.
Paul, Minnesota, canceled Bankas’s six sold-out shows at his venue. Collins explained his decision, citing concerns from “public authorities, legal counsel and staff, combined with heightened threats, increasing media attention and civil disorder.”
He emphasized that the club lacked the resources to mitigate the risks and was obligated to prioritize the safety of its guests, staff, and talent. “The risks to our community, staff, and guests are too great,” Collins concluded.
Following the cancellation and a reported insistence from Bankas’s team for full compensation, the comedian took to Instagram to address the situation. In a video, he stated, “I just found out that my shows were canceled in Minnesota… Honestly, I don’t know why,” before adding, “F- ‘em,” and mocking the venue for “p–ing out.”