As a big fan of both Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer, I was pretty disappointed to hear they pulled out of performing at Salesforce’s big tech conference this week. Apparently, Salesforce’s CEO, Marc Benioff, made some statements supporting President Trump, and they both decided they couldn’t go through with it. It’s a shame, but I respect them for sticking to their principles.
Benioff recently suggested to the New York Times that Donald Trump use the National Guard to address crime in San Francisco. This idea received criticism from many philanthropists and Democrats in the tech industry.
On Friday, Benioff completely walked back his remarks and apologized.
He stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he doesn’t think the National Guard is necessary to ensure safety in San Francisco. He explained his previous suggestion was simply a cautious measure related to the event, and he apologized for any worry it created.

Business
Salesforce announced it will invest in developing artificial intelligence and creating new jobs over the next five years.
Salesforce has confirmed that the comedians canceled their appearances, but they haven’t shared the reason publicly. According to a source at the San Francisco Chronicle, Kumail Nanjiani became sick, which led to his opening act, Tiffany Haddish, also canceling.
Nanjiani and Glazer haven’t publicly spoken out about Benioff’s remarks about the National Guard.
Both comedians have previously spoken out against Trump, particularly his views on immigration. This year, Glazer participated in a “No Kings” protest, organized to oppose Trump’s policies. She recently used Instagram to promote another series of demonstrations planned for October 18th, emphasizing that the issue isn’t about political parties.
Movies
Donald Trump’s controversial tweets suggesting several congresswomen should return to their countries of origin sparked strong reactions from actors Kumail Nanjiani, Padma Lakshmi, and George Takei.
The San Francisco Standard reported earlier on the cancellation.
Marc Benioff faced criticism after speaking out about Donald Trump and the National Guard. This controversy drew attention away from Dreamforce, a major San Francisco conference with prominent speakers from the tech world, government, and entertainment industries.
Kumail Nanjiani is known for his role as Dinesh on the HBO show “Silicon Valley” and for co-writing and starring in the critically acclaimed 2017 film “The Big Sick.” Ilana Glazer co-created and starred in the Comedy Central series “Broad City” and the 2024 comedy film “Babes.”
Comedian David Spade finished off the Dreamforce conference on Thursday afternoon after the originally scheduled performers couldn’t attend.
Ahead of the event, which ended on Thursday, Benioff appeared to dial back his remarks.
I saw a post from him on X – formerly known as Twitter – where he explained he was trying to emphasize the importance of safety at the conference. He wanted to make it clear he was focused on ensuring everyone felt secure.
According to a post on X, Marc Benioff believes the safety of San Francisco is primarily the duty of city and state officials. He also announced a $1 million donation to increase hiring bonuses for police recruits.
Marc Benioff, who doesn’t consistently identify with a political party and used to be a Republican, has generally supported Democratic candidates and progressive issues like a tax on businesses to fund homeless services. However, he’s also voiced concerns about safety in San Francisco and suggested he might relocate his company’s Dreamforce conference from the city to Las Vegas.
Salesforce reports that the annual conference attracts almost 50,000 attendees to San Francisco, contributing $130 million to the city’s economy and supporting 35,000 jobs. This week, Salesforce also announced a $15 billion, five-year investment in San Francisco to further develop artificial intelligence.

Business
Salesforce announced it will invest in developing artificial intelligence and creating new jobs over the next five years.
Ron Conway, a well-known venture capitalist in Silicon Valley and a supporter of the Democratic party, has stepped down from the Salesforce Foundation board. According to an email first reported by the New York Times, Conway told Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff that he no longer feels he knows the person he once respected.
In an email, Conway pointed out the irony of Salesforce’s repeated threats to move its Dreamforce conference to Las Vegas, noting that Las Vegas actually has a higher rate of violent crime than San Francisco. Conway also stated that San Francisco doesn’t need increased federal presence simply because Salesforce doesn’t want to cover the cost of extra security for the event.

Business
Salesforce is highlighting its new “AI agents” designed to help both employees and customers, and these comments are being made in that context.
Billionaire investor A.J. Conway, who founded the venture capital firm SV Angel, is often called the “Godfather of Silicon Valley” due to his early investments in now-major companies like Google, Facebook, and PayPal. SV Angel has not yet responded to a request for comment.
I was really touched to hear Salesforce publicly thank Ron Conway for everything he’s done for their Foundation. They said they’re incredibly grateful for his over ten years of service on the board, and I can definitely see why! He’s made a huge impact.
Laurene Powell Jobs, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the widow of Apple’s Steve Jobs, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. In it, she responded to earlier statements made by Marc Benioff, claiming he has been the most generous contributor to the city of San Francisco. Powell Jobs also leads Emerson Collective, a philanthropic organization she founded.
She explained that his comment made it clear he views generosity as a way to gain influence—like an auction where policy decisions go to whoever donates the most. However, she argued that true generosity doesn’t come with strings attached or an expectation of control.
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2025-10-18 00:31