Chelsea Handler is responding to claims from former opener Salma Hindy about their work relationship. Hindy says a conversation about Israel and Palestine changed things between them. Handler has now shared messages and emails that offer her side of the dispute. The two comedians have given different accounts of what happened around Hindy’s 2024 tour dates.
Chelsea Handler responds to Salma Hindy’s Palestine-related claims
Hindy first raised her claims in a lengthy Instagram video on Wednesday. She said she contacted Handler about Israel and Palestine in October 2023. Hindy also reported that they later discussed the conflict during their tour together. According to Hindy, two January 2024 shows were canceled because of weather, but other travel and hotel costs became a dispute.
Handler responded Thursday by sharing receipts and messages from their exchanges. One Jan. 29, 2024 text shows Hindy telling Handler she could not do the final four shows. Hindy had said Handler’s team paid for her return flight after the canceled shows. Handler also shared an October 2023 email that offered Hindy several tour dates for 2024.
She included a 2022 email in which she approved reimbursement for Hindy’s travel expenses. Handler wrote, “I have plenty more but I’ll leave it here.” Hindy then responded to Handler’s posts and said the reimbursement email came from 2022. She argued that the email did not address the canceled 2024 shows that she discussed in her claims.
Hindy said she withdrew from the rest of the dates only after learning that she would not be reimbursed. She also said her representatives warned that pushing the issue could end her working relationship with Handler. Hindy added that the warnings came through her representatives, not directly from Handler. She also claimed Chelsea Handler later told her privately that she viewed the allegations as libelous and had contacted lawyers.
