Jon Stewart denies 'accusing J.K. Rowling of being anti-Semitic' after Harry Potter goblins comments

Jon Stewart wants to clarify his take on the goblins in Harry Potter.

The former Daily Show host went viral this week for a discussion on his podcast last month about the goblins who run the Gringotts bank in the Harry Potter films, with Stewart suggesting author J.K. Rowling employed anti-Semitic caricatures. "It's a wizarding world," Stewart said. "...And who should run the bank? Jews." In a new video shared on Twitter, though, Stewart expressed surprise that the "lighthearted conversation" prompted widespread news coverage — including by The Weekand he clarified he doesn't believe Rowling is anti-Semitic.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.