Adam Lambert Acknowledges Fan’s Response to ‘Cabaret’ Antisemitic Line

In “Cabaret,” Auli‘i Cravalho plays Sally Bowles until March 29, sharing the stage with Bebe Neuwirth as Fraulein Schneider. The cast also includes Calvin Leon Smith, Steven Skybell, Henry Gottfried, and Michelle Aravena in dual roles.

During a show, Adam Lambert, in character as the Emcee, called out an audience member who chuckled during the song “If You Could See Her,” addressing the situation without breaking character.

The infamous number, which is meant to be a dark satire on the normalization of antisemitism, ends with the gut-punch line, “If you could see her through my eyes, she wouldn’t look Jewish at all.”

A witness at the show recounted the moment, saying Lambert turned directly to the laughing patron and firmly stated, “No. This is not comedy. Pay attention.”

Podcaster David Rigano, who attended the performance, shared his experience on Instagram, criticizing the audience’s reaction. He described the laughter as inappropriate, explaining that it wasn’t nervous or shocked laughter, but rather people who genuinely found the “Jewish gorilla” reference funny.

Other audience members echoed his sentiments on social media.

“I was at this performance and was so beyond glad [Lambert] said what he said,” one individual said. “It was horrific that he had paused, and the audience began to laugh harder and harder. Scary.”

One Jewish theatergoer also expressed shock at the audience’s response, writing:

“When that scene happened, my friend and I turned to one another in disbelief. As a Jewish person, I was in awe of the laughter and just said to my friend, ‘That’s not funny, people shouldn’t be laughing.’ I’m thankful [Lambert] didn’t break character and made it clear that it’s not a joke.”

A third wrote, “I was there too. It really was hard to hear [people] laugh for so long at that line. Adam did a great job.”

Meanwhile, someone else expressed:

“This never happened when I saw the Joel Grey revival or either of the Alan Cumming revivals. There is something happening *now* that makes people feel okay laughing at this and it’s truly frightening. Thank you, @adamlambert. I’m sorry you had to do it, but grateful that you did.”

Following the viral discussion around the incident, Lambert addressed the matter on social media, emphasizing the importance of Cabaret’s message and its relevance in today’s world.

“I really consider it a privilege to be working with such a gifted cast and creative team on a show that has so much to say about what is happening RIGHT NOW,” the “American Idol” alum said.

“It’s been relevant since it premiered in the late ’60s, and I HOPE audiences walk away THINKING and feeling empathy towards how marginalized groups can be scapegoated as political strategy… That’s my hope and motivation every show: to pull you into an irresistible community and then make you miss us as we are stolen from you. Maybe, just maybe, we can change some minds.”

This is not the first time Lambert has had to address audience behavior during the show.

Back in November, Page Six reported that Lambert had to stare down audience members who laughed inappropriately at the antisemitic line. A witness recalled, “He gave the guy the iciest death stare I’ve ever seen.”

While Lambert has previously handled such moments non-verbally, this recent instance marks the first time he has verbally reprimanded an audience member during the performance.

Set in the seedy Kit Kat Club during the rise of fascism in Weimar-era Germany, Cabaret is a cautionary tale about the dangers of political extremism. The show’s themes remain disturbingly relevant today, which makes audience reactions like this particularly troubling.

Lambert’s commitment to ensuring the show’s message is properly understood has earned him praise from both fans and fellow performers, further solidifying his reputation as a powerful and conscientious performer.