George Lopez Walks Out of Sold-Out Show, Causes Ruckus

George Lopez may have started the sold-out show in good spirits, but he didn't end it that way. The comedian left the stage at California's Eagle Mountain Casino 30 minutes early on Friday after complaining about hecklers, the New York Post reports. The casino claimed the 63-year-old "let down his fans." It said Lopez's private security team could've "easily escorted any hecklers out" but "did not." The casino also claimed Lopez failed to provide an opportunity "to allow our security and team to escort any hecklers out." A rep for Lopez, however, said the casino failed in its duty "to provide a good experience for both the artist and the fans," leaving the comedian "in an unsafe environment," per TMZ.

"The audience was overserved and unruly, and the casino staff was unable to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for the artist and guests," the rep said. Lopez's personal security worked with venue security "to maintain order, ensure safety, and eject disruptive individuals" but "the casino security team was not adequate to accomplish this task." TMZ obtained footage showing the comedian warn the audience he would walk out if interruptions continued, though onlookers, who only laughed in response, may not have believed him. The final straw was apparently a woman asking if she could buy the comedian a drink.

On social media, some people who attended the show claimed Lopez overreacted. One Facebook user said a handful of people were calling out but it was "people yelling we love you and making references to old jokes. Nothing bad." Others lamented that Lopez ended the show early after canceling an earlier date at the same venue due to a medical emergency. "He never wanted to be here to begin with and it showed," one user wrote, per the Post. A casino employee even complained that teams twice spent days setting up the event center for the comedian, to be let down both times. Lopez's rep said "he feels badly that those who came to see the show were unable to do so." (More George Lopez stories.)