The Stain on Lorne Michaels’ ‘SNL’ Legacy: Silence on Antisemitism
NBC show can't speak up when it matters (but plays genocide card)
Charitable souls might cut Lorne Michaels some slack.
The “Saturday Night Live” founder watched his show become yet another Democratic mouthpiece the moment Barack Obama took the oath of office.
Most institutions have done the same in recent years – think academia, late-night TV, the Legacy Media and Hollywood in toto.
Why should Michaels’ “SNL” be any different, even if he refuses to own up to the issue?
His bigger problem is happening now. It’s an issue that can’t be explained by liberal bias or ignorance. “SNL” has been virtually silent on the stunning rise in antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attacks.
The show is perfectly situated to address the subject. It’s “Live from New York,” after all, the epicenter of the country’s Jewish population. “SNL’s” snarky blend of politics and pop culture makes the topic ripe for satire. The Weekend Update feature alone might weigh in on the latest attacks on Jewish people.
There’s more.
The Big Apple’s young mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has deeply unsettling ties to antisemitic groups and individuals.
.@NYCMayor Mamdani’s antisemitism strategy finally landed and only confirms what we already knew: this mayor does not treat the hate facing Jewish New Yorkers as an emergency and refuses to acknowledge the different shapes it takes. Since he took office 271 days ago, ADL has recorded hundreds of antisemitic incidents in NYC, nearly 40% of which were related to Israel.
After throwing out the IHRA definition on his first day in office, nine months later, his signature strategy still refuses to replace it with any working definition of antisemitism. He has looked the other way as flags glorifying terror groups have been flown outside synagogues, a deliberate act meant to intimidate families walking in to pray, and as crowds gathered outside houses of worship voicing support for the same groups. At the same time, he continues prioritizing his anti-Israel agenda over the basic promises he made to Jewish New Yorkers.
Our expectations have not changed: zero tolerance for antisemitism and extremism in city government, real protection for Jewish institutions, a clear and formal definition of antisemitism that the city actually uses, and city contracts, pensions and procurement kept free of ideological boycotts. ADL will keep tracking and fighting antisemitism in New York City and across the country, whether or not this mayor is willing to do the same.
— ADL New York / New Jersey (@ADL_NYNJ) September 29, 2026
The next possible Senator from Michigan has even more disturbing views on Israelis and Jews. Abdul El-Sayed struggles to say if Israel has the right to exist, has family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and pals around with Hasan Piker.
And Michaels is Jewish, something that can be set aside since mocking antisemitism matters no matter one’s background.
Yet watching “SNL” over the past three years has shown few, if any, attempts to explore the issue. In some cases, the show has targeted Israel.
Consider this riff that dubs Israel’s self-defense in the wake of Hamas’ terrorist attacks a “genocide.”
The biggest give away in all of this is an ethnic genocide supposedly happened and they are making jokes about it. It’s now just a punchline for clapter.
Every single one of these people know that an actual genocide never happened.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 1, 2026
This isn’t the show’s only embarrassing brush with the topic.
A late 2023 “cold open” featured a recreation of New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik grilling the heads of three Ivy League institutions. The leaders behaved so poorly during that congressional hearing that two of the three resigned in disgrace – Liz Magill (University of Pennsylvania) and Claudine Gay (Harvard University).
The leaders’ comments attempting to explain away their university’s antisemitism were universally condemned.
How did “SNL” handle the exchange? The show spent more time mocking Stefanik, presumably because she’s a Republican.
This was two months after the savage Oct. 7 attacks, mind you. The sketch also arrived weeks after shocking displays of antisemitism rocked many U.S. colleges.
“Weekend Update” co-host Michael Che previously pushed antisemitic tropes during the Feb. 20, 2021 edition of the show. He discussed how Israel had vaccinated half of its population at the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. Nations at the time were rushing to do just that to control the virus.
Israel’s sweeping actions were considered heroic. Che’s quip in response?
“I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half.”
More recently, the show has mocked former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The pundit has always been a ripe target for his blunt manner and provocative rants. In recent years, though, Carlson has abandoned conservative values, aligned with Russia and embraced any number of conspiracy theories.
He’s also become obsessed with Israel, something many connect to antisemitism.
Compilation of Tucker Carlson BLATANTLY CONTRADICTING himself over and over on Israel.
— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) March 9, 2026
🚨Every time Israel has been mentioned on @TuckerCarlson’s show the past 3 months.
Tucker Carlson to @tedcruz : “I’m not obsessed with Israel.”— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) June 19, 2025
Yet whenever “SNL” targets Carlson, as played by Jeremy Culhane, the impression avoids the pundit’s anti-Israel hysteria.
Odd.
A Michaels defender can explain his show’s unwillingness to critique Mayor Mamdani or El-Sayed as pure partisanship. That’s shameful but increasingly common in our tribal times.
Perhaps.
What about the rise in anti-Jewish attacks in New York City, the show’s home since 1975? What about Israeli artists being cancelled or targeted for their Jewish faith or support?
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Michael Rapaport
- Matisyahu
- Brett Gelman
- Alyssa Rosenheck
Antisemitism is tailor-made for an edgy, counter-culture show like “SNL.” Imagine what the original Not Ready for Prime-Time Players might do?
Today’s cast, a who’s who of “who?”, doesn’t go near the subject. Or, when the players do, it’s to dub Israel’s self-defense measures as a “genocide.”
Stunning and brave? Try craven.
A show like “Saturday Night Live” couldn’t stay edgy, relevant and counter-cultural forever. The program’s general decline has been hard to watch, especially after the extended attacks on guest host Shane Gillis in recent weeks, all without any pushback from Michaels or his staff.
Some appeared to cheer on Gillis’ critics.
Chalk that up to the show’s embrace of woke culture, a separate stain on a once-mighty institution. “SNL’s” refusal to confront antisemitism at this critical point in history is decidedly worse.
Other than Pete Davidson (who apparently found out late in life that his heroic firefighter father had a Jewish background), there hasn’t been a male Jewish performer in the main “SNL” cast for over a decade. Because they’re so hard to find in the New York comedy scene.