Comedian Bill Maher has clashed with Jewish actress and comedian Sandra Bernhardt over whether the current rise in anti-Semitism in the United States is coming primarily from the left or the right.
Bernhardt discussed the matter with Maher. Recent episode The “Club Random” podcast producer blamed conservatives for the spread of anti-Semitism.
“The left is even worse,” Maher said, denying the allegations and pointing out that the left’s obsession with race and identity politics is fueling widespread anti-Semitism on U.S. college campuses.
The discussion began with Bernhard talking about his Jewish roots and how his grandparents fled the pogroms in Russia to the U.S. Bernhard said that despite the public’s “outrage” about being Jewish in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks, he has never felt persecuted.
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HBO host and comedian Bill Maher clashed with actress Sandra Bernhardt over the causes of the current rise in anti-Semitism. (NBC/Screenshot)
“I like being Jewish. I go on Sabbath. I do what I want. But all of a sudden, people are like, ‘I’m Jewish. [persecuted]”I don’t feel persecuted,” she said.
Maher, an atheist whose mother is Jewish, acknowledged his views but added that “we are seeing an epidemic of anti-Semitism in this country that we haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Tell me where it’s coming from. It’s coming from the right wing, from the extreme,” she said, before Mr Maher interjected.
“No,” Maher said. “The right wing makes this nonsense claim that ‘the Jews won’t replace us.’ The left is even worse.”
“What? Why?” she asked.
“That’s an opinion coming from elite universities who only see everything through a racial lens. They’re stupid. They don’t know history. They think it’s all about colonialists and racists and how America is a terrible country,” Maher countered.
He continued: “America has done bad things, but dragging Israel into being a proxy for everything bad white people have ever done is no more complicated for most college students than it is for Palestinians to be brown and poor and Israelis to be rich and white.”
After mentioning how Israelis have been branded as colonialists, he said, “None of this corresponds with the facts.”
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Comedian Bill Maher is on the set of his HBO talk show. (Screenshot/HBO)
Instead of firing back, Bernhardt began criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“But can we all agree that Benjamin Netanyahu is a terrible obstructionist and needs to be kicked out of Israel? He’s not good for Israel. He’s not good for the Jewish people. He’s also fostered global distrust — not of Jews, but of Israelis,” she said. “He is entirely responsible for everything that’s going on.”
“He is not responsible for all that is happening. It is the fault of the Palestinian people and Islam, but that is being forgotten in all of this,” Maher countered.
Bernhard expressed confusion about that, while Maher added that “Hamas bears the main responsibility.”
“This is happening because Hamas has been taking aid money for years and years and instead of using it to buy food and build buildings and hospitals, they’ve been using it to buy bombs and dig tunnels,” he added.
Bernhard expressed confusion about that, while Maher added that “Hamas bears the main responsibility.” (Screenshot/Club Random Podcast)
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Alluding to the Israeli leader, the guest asked, “Who do you think supported Hamas?”
“That’s true. Yes, that’s true. For strategic reasons, in retrospect, it probably wasn’t wrong. But Prime Minister Netanyahu felt that he was not acting against the interests of his own people,” Maher said.
“He doesn’t want to go to prison, so he’s only working in the interest of one person – himself,” Bernhardt countered.
“I don’t think so either,” Maher replied, but predicted Netanyahu would probably step down soon.
