Star-Studded No-Show: Nanjiani And Glazer Bail On Dreamforce Amid Ceo'S Trump Talk Slip

Comedians Pull the Plug on Dreamforce Gig

Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer, two comedy heavyweights, decided to cancel their performances at Salesforce's annual tech extravaganza, Dreamforce, stirring up the kind of buzz that only Hollywood can bring. This sudden exit comes hot on the heels of Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's eyebrow-raising remarks supporting former President Trump, which didn't exactly vibe with San Francisco's progressive scene.

Last week, Benioff made headlines when he suggested to the New York Times that Trump should deploy the National Guard to curb crime in San Francisco. As you can imagine, this didn't sit well with local philanthropists and Democrats. Realizing the PR nightmare, Benioff quickly backtracked, posting on social media platform X that he was "coming from an abundance of caution" and sincerely apologizing for the chaos caused.

"I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco," Benioff later clarified online.

Silicon Valley's Star-Studded Drama

The drama didn't stop there. Salesforce confirmed that the comedians backed out, yet they remained mum on the drama that unfolded. A close source whispered to the San Francisco Chronicle that Nanjiani was under the weather, prompting Glazer to also pull the plug. Neither star has publicly commented on Benioff's National Guard remarks, but their history of critiquing Trump is no secret. Earlier this year, Glazer was vocal at a "No Kings" protest against Trump’s policies, promoting new rallies set for October 18 via Instagram.

In their unexpected absence, a familiar face stepped in – comedian David Spade took center stage to close out Dreamforce on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, Benioff has been juggling fallout from both his controversial comments and the Dreamforce shake-up.

Concerns and Consequences

Benioff's mix of business and politics has sparked a widespread controversy, overshadowing the star-studded conference that usually brings a wave of tech luminaries to San Francisco. The CEO, who once identified as Republican but has backed Democratic causes, has often criticized San Francisco's public safety measures.

Adding fuel to the fire, Ron Conway, a big name in Silicon Valley and a Democratic donor, resigned from the Salesforce Foundation board. He told Benioff, "Your obsession with moving Dreamforce to Las Vegas is ironic since Vegas has higher violent crime rates." Meanwhile, Laurene Powell Jobs penned an essay in the Wall Street Journal critiquing Benioff’s philanthropic approach, suggesting that generosity should not be transactional.

Despite the hiccups, Salesforce is moving forward with a massive $15 billion investment in San Francisco over the next five years aimed at advancing artificial intelligence. Clearly, the show must go on, but the recent celebrity scramble adds just another layer to San Francisco's ever-unfolding tech tapestry.