one minnesota comedy club Comedian Ben Bankas’ six sold-out shows were abruptly canceled after public outrage went viral after a stand-up clip in which he mocked a woman who had been shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent went viral.

St. Paul’s Laughter Camp Comedy Club has canceled Bankas’s scheduled performances from January 30 to February 1. Backlash erupts He joked about Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three who was killed during an encounter with federal immigration authorities earlier this month.

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Comedian Ben Bankas performed six sold-out shows in Minnesota after a video mocking ICE shooting victim Renee Good went viral, sparking outrage and protest threats. (Ben Bankas/Instagram/ODU English Department/Facebook)

bank answer bluntly The cancellation was mentioned in a recent video posted on Instagram.

He told the audience, “I just found out my show was canceled in minnesota,” prompting loud boos.

“Fuck them,” he added, seemingly referring to the venue.

Bankas wrote in the caption that he was “building a new venue and date spot for the wonderful people of Minnesota.”

He responded after posting a video on Instagram taken on Jan. 13, days after Goode’s death, taken at a show in Poughkeepsie, New York.

A crashed car at the scene where ICE agents shot and killed Renee Goode. (Stephen Mature/Getty Images)

As of February 3, the video has been viewed more than 8.9 million times. bank says“, “Her last name is Goode. That’s what I said after they shot her,” and also referred to Goode’s wife as a “dog.” He also called Goode “r—–ded.”

Goode was shot On Jan. 7, authorities said she swerved her vehicle into ICE officer. Her death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond and heightened scrutiny of federal agents’ use of force.

Tensions further escalated on January 24 when Alex Pretti, another Minneapolis agitator, was shot and killed by federal agents. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other local leaders have publicly criticized ICE’s actions.
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U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) speaks as members of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee hold a press conference to discuss the murder of Renee Nicole Good outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 14, 2026. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

As Bankas’ video gained attention, St. Paul residents began signaling plans to protest outside his upcoming shows — a development that prompted cancellations at comedy venues, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

In a shared statement with peopleClub owner Bill Collins said the decision was taken after weighing the escalating risks.

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“After discussions and concerns with public authorities, legal counsel and staff, coupled with heightened threats, increased media attention and civil unrest, we have determined that the risks and associated liabilities are insurmountable,” Collins said in an email.

A card with images of Renée Good and Alex Pretti lies among flowers and other memorials at a memorial on January 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

“Small clubs like ours do not have the necessary resources to mitigate the current risk,” he added. “We have an obligation to put the safety of our guests, employees and talent first and we have no choice but to cancel.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Bankas and Collins for comment.

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Collins, who has run the club since 2007, told the Tribune that canceling events could cost him about $17,000. He also said Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents Bankas, is asking for full compensation for the canceled show because the comedian is ready to perform.

CAA also banned other customers from booking the club until the dispute was resolved, according to Collins.

Bankas was born in Toronto and now lives in Austin, Texas.

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He hosts YouTube’s “The Tanakas Show,” which his website says has more than 10,000 monthly listeners.