Pop Culture Puts Antisemitism on Blast (Finally)

The man who made a movie mocking religion is standing up for the Jewish people.

And he’s virtually alone in pop culture circles.

Bill Maher’s 2010 film “Religulous” poked fun at Christianity and other faiths, leaning into his atheism and wit.

Now, Maher is the only mainstream late-night host to call out the shocking rise of antisemitism, especially on the political Left.

He did it again Friday night via his “Real Time with Bill Maher” showcase.

BILL MAHER on Dem politicians: “As long as [your] faith isn’t Jewish, you’re good.” https://t.co/HnWIFK7JgY

— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 22, 2026

[Dana] Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, noted that Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico “wears his faith on his sleeve in a way that he believes will help him.” Mr. Maher responded, “Well, in the Democratic Party, as long as that faith isn’t Jewish, you’re good.”

When Ms. Bash pushed back, saying “you said it,” Mr. Maher replied that he said it “because it’s true.”

RELATED: MAHER V. STEWART FOR SOLE OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Maher repeatedly calls out both the lack of outrage over antisemitism and its deep roots within the Democratic Party. Right-leaning pundits like Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, J.P. Sears and others have leaned into antisemitic tropes, too, but they aren’t part of the mainstream GOP.

The press secretary just telling the truth, as always. pic.twitter.com/DDhC41zLBR

— JP Sears (@AwakenWithJP) August 15, 2026

Tucker Carlson: “Israel is the most evil, genocidal state that controls America.”
VS.
Also Tucker Carlson: “But I’m not attacking Israel.” pic.twitter.com/aMjILopQh0

— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) June 12, 2026

It’s a massive problem, one that late-night stars like Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon won’t touch.

And then there’s Mark Ruffalo. 

The “Avengers” star is one of Hollywood’s most strident pro-Palestinian voices. And, as is often the case with that sub-set, the messaging can appear critical of more than just the Jewish state.

This week, Ruffalo attacked the proposed Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery merger, but he didn’t stop there.

The actor shared a video of Oracle Executive Vice Chair Safra Catz discussing the company’s assistance to Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks. “Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle,” Ruffalo wrote on his social media channels.

Team Paramount swiftly fired back, accusing the star of spreading antisemitic language.

“We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute. Words like ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid,’ applied to a corporate transaction, aren’t just wrong — they’re a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe.

The mega-studio wasn’t the only one to lash out at Ruffalo. Sharon Waxman, the veteran Hollywood journalist and founder of the far-Left TheWrap.com, took the unusual move to call out Ruffalo directly.

This statement by Mark Ruffalo is profoundly shocking. This crosses the line from merger opposition to incitement: “Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle.” https://t.co/21m2tC7gox

— Sharon Waxman (follow me on Threads @sharonwaxman (@sharonwaxman) August 21, 2026

Ruffalo shared a speedy defense of his comments on social media in response.

Mark Ruffalo Rejects Paramount’s Claim His Anti-Merger Comments Were “Antisemitic”: “My Views Should Never Be Interpreted as Hostility Toward … https://t.co/4PAVXCsa5H

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 23, 2026

The good news? The rise of antisemitism is being talked about across the culture. That it’s happening on late-night talk shows and via A-list stars means it will get more attention.

The bad news? Too many significant figures are either feeding the hatred or doing little to stop it.