Even a comedian can't play Lebanon...

Calls for a boycott despite the shows being sold-out!

French-Jewish stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh has cancelled his performances in a Lebanon festival, after media in Lebanon reported he had served in the Israel Defense Forces.

The organizing committee of the Beiteddine festival, which is scheduled to take place south-east of Beirut next month, wholly denied the claims.

But in a statement, Elmaleh's agent said he decided to cancel his participation "out of concern for his personal security and that of the festival," after the organizers were swamped with e-mails and phone calls calling for a boycott of his three shows, which are sold out.