Delete all comments

Install and activate Akismet: https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/akismet/

You’ll get a “Check for Spam” button in your Dashboard’s Comments section, and an “Empty Spam” button in your Dashboard’s Comments -> Spam subsection.

Funny you mentioned it James but the problem was I already had akismet installed but I lost my credit card on file and forgot to update my account with the new card and was unaware it was cancelled. All good now though.
Thank You.

You’re welcome!

For some reason, all of my comments are flagged now as marked as spam by akisment. But I can’t make them go away. Even there are 17k pending files. My spam folder shows 0.

When Akismet flags something, it goes into the Spam folder. If the comments you’re referring to are just going to Pending, it’s not Akismet.

Double-check your comment moderation settings at Settings -> Discussion in your blog’s Dashboard.

Pay extra close attention to the number of links you allow, as the Website field counts as 1. So, if you only allow 1 link, anyone else with a link in their comment and the Website field filled in will count as 2 and therefore be held for moderation.

Also, pay extra close attention to your comment moderation list, as it works on word parts. For example, and please excuse the follow word, if you add “ass” to your moderation list, it will also hold comments containing “class,” “pass,” “grass,” etc.

I wish I could add a screenshot here because every one of my comments reads “flagged as spam by akismet”
There are currently 13,481 comments in the pending folder and 31 in the spam folder.
Every time I click on the check for spam button, it either greys out and nothing happens, or it goes for a few seconds and I get an error page and maybe 40 go to the spam folder. Then I can empty it.
akismet is definitely not working as it’s supposed to. Always has before though.
Here’s the error page I get-
Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Please contact the server administrator and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

Is there a place to go for akismet support?

Yes, try at https://akismet.com/contact/