George Lopez reportedly walked out of a sold-out show early due to heckling from the audience, with venue officials accusing the comedian of letting his fans down.
The 63-year-old comedian finished his show at Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, California, about 30 minutes before the show was scheduled to end.
“Tonight George Lopez disappointed his fans and the sold-out crowd by ending the show 30 minutes early,” Casino said. In a Facebook post.
The 2,000-capacity venue revealed that Lopez had hired a private security team that would have made it easy to “easily remove any disruptive individuals.”
A pre-show meeting was also reportedly held to make plans in case onlookers disrupted the show.
“George could have allowed our security and team the opportunity to remove the disruptive individuals, which his own security failed to do,” the casino said in a statement. “George decided not to continue with the show and to leave.”
Fans on social media confirmed that it wasn’t onlookers who disrupted the show, but people cheering for the “Blue Beetle” actor.
“I wasn’t heckled by 100 people,” one person claimed on Facebook, “Maybe about 4 people. They were just yelling I love you and telling old jokes. I don’t think anything bad happened tonight even though George Lopez walked out!!”
“She just said, ‘Can I buy you a drink?'” one user said. Commented on the post Lopez to X.
This is the second time Lopez has disappointed fans who paid at least $65 for a ticket at Eagle Mountain Casino.
Lopez was forced to cancel her April 20 performance at the venue due to a medical emergency, and rain caused the show to be postponed until Friday night.
“I’m so disappointed after driving an hour and a half twice to see him…” one fan said.
“He never wanted to be here from the beginning and it was obvious. Pathetic man. That’s why he got divorced.”
Fans weren’t the only ones disappointed with Lopez, casino employees also expressed their frustration over the gaffe.
“Myself and my facilities team worked from midnight until 8am for three days setting up the event center for this guy (twice) and both times he abandoned us and the casino,” the casino’s facilities maintenance supervisor said in a statement. “I hope they never call on him again.”
Others offered suggestions about actors Casino should have called in place of Lopez.
“Invite Fluffy next time,” one person said, referring to Gabriel Iglesias.
“(Comedian) Ralph Barbosa should have been there,” another commented.
Venue officials said they had “done their best” to provide the best possible service since the comedian arrived and his sudden exit has left them with a sour taste.
“We never want to let our customers down and we are as disappointed and shocked as our customers are,” the casino said.
In December, David Chappelle angrily stormed off stage during a performance at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, after he noticed a fan using a cell phone.
Chappelle, who was in the middle of the second of a five-night performance at the 7,000-seat venue, reportedly pointed out the fan to security, scolded the audience and walked off stage shaking his head in disappointment. Miami Herald.
