Jon Stewart slams J.K. Rowling's 'anti-Semitic' Harry Potter goblins

Stewart (R) feels that the goblins in the Harry Potter books, written by Rowling (L) and movie series, are depicted in an anti-Semitic way. Photos / Getty Images

Jon Stewart has a bone to pick with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. He is not a fan of the goblins. Stewart feels that the goblins, who work at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in the book and movie series, are depicted in an anti-Semitic way.

Speaking about the goblin issue on his The Problem With Jon Stewart podcast in December, Stewart explained: "Here's how you know Jews are still where they are," Stewart said. "Talking to people, here's what I say: Have you ever seen a Harry Potter movie? And people are all like, 'I love the Harry Potter movies.' Have you ever seen the scenes in Gringotts Bank? And they're like 'I love the scenes in Gringotts Bank.' Do you know what those folks who run the bank are? And they're like 'What?' Jews!"

Stewart (R) feels that the goblins in the Harry Potter books, written by Rowling (L) and movie series, are depicted in an anti-Semitic way. Photos / Getty Images

Stewart then referenced an image from an infamous anti-Semitic text from the early 1900s. The image was alarmingly similar to the depiction of the Harry Potter goblins. "Let me show you this from the Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion, I just want to show you a caricature," Stewart explained. "And they're like, 'Oh, look at that, that's from Harry Potter!' And you're like, 'No, that's a caricature of a Jew from an anti-Semitic piece of literature.'"

Jon Stewart says the Harry Potter goblins look alarmingly similar to "a caricature of a Jew from an anti-Semitic piece of literature". Photo / NBC

Stewart has a point. The goblins in Harry Potter have long hooked noses and large round heads and they are perceived as money-driven and untrustworthy by the other characters.

Continuing with his criticism Stewart said: "J.K. Rowling was like, 'Can we get these guys to run our bank?' It's a wizarding world… we can ride dragons, you've got a pet owl… but who should run the bank? Jews. But what if the teeth were sharper?"

Feeling that the anti-Semitic depiction was rather blatant, Stewart shared his experience of watching the films and being shocked when no one else took issue with the goblins.

"It was one of those things where I saw it on the screen and I was expecting the crowd to be like, 'Holy s***, she did not, in a wizarding world, just throw Jews in there to run the f****** underground bank.' And everybody was just like, 'Wizards.' It was so weird."

Since his comments have landed, Stewart has felt the need to clarify his statements about Rowling and affirms that although he takes umbridge with one aspect of the Harry Potter films, he doesn't believe the author is inherently anti-Semitic.

"I do not think J.K. Rowling is anti-Semitic," Stewart said in a video shared on social media. "I did not accuse her of being anti-Semitic. I do not think the Harry Potter movies are anti-Semitic. I really love the Harry Potter movies, probably too much for a gentleman of my considerable age."

Language warning: the video below contains some strong language.

Newsweek et al, may eat my ass. pic.twitter.com/eRoYYeNRi1

— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) January 5, 2022

Stewart affirmed that the statements were made in jest "between colleagues and chums" and reflected his own experience as a Jewish man watching the films for the first time. And while he feels that some anti-Semitic "tropes are so embedded in society that they are virtually invisible", he would not want the films changed.

"I cannot stress this enough," he said. "I am not accusing J.K. Rowling of being anti-Semitic. She need not answer to any of it. I don't want the Harry Potter movies censored in any way. It was a lighthearted conversation."