Chelsea Handler denies having removed Salma Hindy from her tour over comments on Palestine

Chelsea Handler has denied removing Salma Hindy from her tour due to Hindy’s stance on Palestine. The controversy highlights conflicting accounts from the two comedians, each of whom has shared messages to support their version of events.

In a video posted on Instagram on September 16, 2026, Salma Hindy claims that her professional relationship with Chelsea Handler deteriorated following a conversation about the war in Gaza in the fall of 2023. She alleges that several dates where she was scheduled to open for Handler were subsequently canceled, and she states that a former manager attributed this to her views on the issue.

Chelsea Handler directly challenged this account in the comments under the post. She asserts that she did not fire Salma Hindy and claims that Hindy withdrew from the remaining dates herself. The host also shared a screenshot of a message in which Hindy indicated she could no longer participate in four shows and thanked Handler for the opportunity.

Salma Hindy responded that this message pertained to a different set of dates and does not, in her view, explain the shows she claims to have lost earlier. She acknowledges that she does not have a written statement from Chelsea Handler linking these changes to Palestine, but maintains that this explanation was communicated to her verbally.

The public exchanges do not provide a clear resolution to the disagreement. They establish the existence of the collaboration, the cancellation of certain dates, and the conflicting narratives from both artists, without confirming the reason put forth by Salma Hindy.

Hindy also claims that Handler indicated she had consulted lawyers and considered Hindy’s account to be defamatory. No lawsuit has been publicly announced at this stage. Salma Hindy clarified that she is seeking legal advice and has not initiated any proceedings.