The American Jewish Committee Wants ‘Saturday Night Live’ To Apologize For Vaccine Joke

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Michael Che makes a joke about Israel's vaccine rollout on Saturday Night Live on Feb. 20, 2021. (YouTube)

NEW YORK (JTA) – The American Jewish Committee is circulating a petition asking “Saturday Night Live” to apologize for a joke that suggested Israel is vaccinating only its Jewish citizens.

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“Israel is reporting that they’ve vaccinated half of their population, and I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half,” Michael Che, the co-host of SNL’s news parody, “Weekend Update,” said on the most recent broadcast.

“Saturday Night Live’s ‘joke’ isn’t just untrue — it’s dangerous, a modern twist on a classic anti-Semitic trope that has inspired the mass murder of countless Jews throughout the centuries,” the AJC said in a petition posted online on Sunday that referred to the ancient libel that Jews are responsible for plagues. The petition will be delivered to NBC, the live comedy revue’s broadcaster.

Israel has come under some criticism for refusing to extend its coronavirus vaccination program to West Bank Palestinians, for delaying the delivery of vaccines to Gaza Strip Palestinians and for not being as robust in its vaccination outreach to Arab Israelis as it is to Jewish Israelis.

Israel’s government says that prior agreements and international law make the Palestinian Authority the responsible authority for West Bank Palestinian vaccinations, and it allowed the delivery of the Gaza vaccines after a short delay. Israeli officials acknowledge a lag in delivering vaccines to the Arab sector, and blame it in part on skepticism in the sector about taking the vaccine.

Israel’s envoy to Washington also called on the show to apologize. “I’m a big fan of humor but, perpetuating anti-Semitism is just not funny,” Gilad Erdan said Sunday on Twitter. “Your ‘joke’ is ignorant — the fact is that the success of our vaccination drive is exactly because every citizen of Israel — Jewish, Muslim, Christian-is entitled it. Apologize!”


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26 Comments
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Kollelfaker
Kollelfaker
3 years ago

Apologize absolutely not he needs to be fired. There’s no difference here then a joke about a modem or black. It’s a death sentence. If actors are being fired for backing republicans is this any less

Nasty Pelosi is a stain on our nation.
Nasty Pelosi is a stain on our nation.
3 years ago

This is not the first time this pos spewed his Jew hatred.

say it straight
say it straight
3 years ago

why is everyone mentioning snl and ignoring michael che does being black allow him to be racist?imagine tucker carlson woould make such a comment people wouldn’t be attacking fox news they’d be attacking carlson

akk
akk
3 years ago

His anti Semitism id to be expected.
Blacks are the worst racists and anti semites.
His apology even if it will ever come is worthless.
These SNL vermin are all liberal hacks.
They are ball allowed to do what they tell YOU not to.

Educated Archy
Educated Archy
3 years ago

This just reiterates that the media is the enemy of the jewish people. They literally place the jewish people in danger. The Fake news must be hated by all frum torah jews

Anonymous
Anonymous
3 years ago

Come on guys, It can not be anti-semitic because for once he is black and he is a democrat. Anti-semitism stop being an issue when Biden won the elections, also covid isn’t a problem now. All the problems went away magically.

Lakewood is Kodesh
Lakewood is Kodesh
3 years ago

I thought the Jews control the media, Hollywood, etc….

5TRESIDENT
5TRESIDENT
3 years ago

Who cares what happens on that lame show.

Marcia
Marcia
3 years ago

Who still watches this show and why?

Teddy
Teddy
3 years ago

OVER 500,000 Americans dead, all from a hoax that was supposed to be gone by Pesach. Maybe next Pesach…