ADL head criticizes ‘Saturday Night Live’ antisemitism hearing skit: ‘Atrocious’

The head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) joined a number of others online in sharply criticizing a “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) skit that mocked House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik’s (N.Y.) line of questioning at a hearing last week on antisemitism at elite universities.

“The skit was atrocious. The sentiment even more appalling,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote Sunday on X, formerly Twitter, in response to a clip of the “SNL” cold open.

The skit in part mocked the three university presidents who drew backlash after appearing to evade questions at the House hearing. All three presidents have since apologized, and one of them, Penn President Liz Magill, resigned over the weekend.

The cold open, however, drew pushback for taking particular aim at Stefanik, depicted by cast member Chloe Troast. At the hearing, Stefanik’s line of questioning centered on whether calling for the genocide of Jewish people violated the schools’ respective codes of conduct.

“Now I’m going to start screaming questions at these women like I’m Billy Eichner. Antisemitism, yea or nay?” Troast, playing Stefanik, said at the start of the mock hearing.

“Yes or no. Is calling for the genocide of Jews against the code of conduct for Harvard?” Troast asked Ego Nwodim, playing Harvard President Claudine Gay.

Nwodim, speaking in character, said it “depends on the context” before Troast turned to Heidi Gardner, playing Magill, and asked the same question.

“We are serious about stopping all forms of hatred,” Gardner said in character, an answer Troast’s character appears to find unacceptable.

The cold open drew criticism on social media, with some calling it simply unfunny and others panning the skit for focusing on Stefanik’s line of questioning.

Conservative pundit Meghan McCain called the “SNL” skit “vile” while pointing to the jump in reported antisemitic hate crimes since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

“Attacking @RepStefanik instead of the antisemitic Progressive Presidents rings of their own antisemitism,” Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) wrote on X, calling on the show to apologize.

Jewish Chronicle editor Jake Wallis Simons said, “Can’t believe SNL decided to mock those demanding tougher action on Jew-hatred on campus rather than those making excuses for calls for genocide.”

“This is really appalling – @nbc do you think antisemitism is acceptable as the punchline of a joke about American society?  This needs to be investigated by the @FCC,” Israeli historian and professor Sara Yael Hirschhorn said on X.

The New York Post also published a story on the cold open, saying it “swings and misses.”

The Hill has reached out to Stefanik’s office and NBC Universal for comment.