Jon Stewart: 'I do not think J.K. Rowling is antisemitic'

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  • J. K. Rowling
    J. K. Rowling
    British author and philanthropist (born 1965)

Jon Stewart has clarified the comments he made about J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and antisemitic tropes.

In a recent episode of his podcast, The Problem with Jon Stewart, the comedian made comparisons between the bank-running goblins in the popular books to tropes laid out in the antisemitic text, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

However, in a clip posted to Twitter on Wednesday, Stewart insisted the comments were "light-hearted".

"I do not think J.K. Rowling is antisemitic. I did not accuse her of being antisemitic," the 59-year-old declared. "I do not think the Harry Potter movies are antisemitic. I really love the Harry Potter movies, probably too much for a gentleman of my considerable age."

"I cannot stress this enough. I am not accusing J.K. Rowling of being antisemitic," the star continued. "She need not answer to any of it. I don't want the Harry Potter movies censored in any way. It was a light-hearted conversation."

The Daily Show alum also argued that the discussion - a clip of which went viral on Twitter - was meant to show "how some tropes are so embedded in society that they're basically invisible, even in a considered process like moviemaking."

Rowling has not yet responded to Stewart's comments.

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