Jon Stewart Blasts Harry Potter Goblins As Anti-Semitic, And He's Right

JK Rowling has been in the news a lot over the last few years for her comments on transgender people--which have been condemned by many of the Harry Potter films' stars for being transphobic. However, Rowling has found herself in the news again for an older controversy: the series' bank-running goblins, a group Jon Stewart called out as an anti-Semitic caricature.

Speaking on his Apple TV+ podcast The Problem with Jon Stewart, the comedian and actor pointed out that the Gringotts bank's caretakers share a very strong resemblance to old anti-Semitic drawings of Jews, which emphasizes their pointy, hooked noses and fondness for money (I myself am Jewish and have been subjected to these tropes in the past).

"'Let me show you this. It's from The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,'" Stewart said, referencing an infamous anti-Semitic hoax text. "'I just want to show you a caricature,' and they're like, 'Oh, look at that! That's from Harry Potter!'"

Though Jews are not the first thing non-Jews likely think of when they see the goblins, it reinforces a negative stereotype that has existed for centuries and comes from places of malice. Jews unable to work other jobs in 13th century England because of virulent antisemitism had no choice but to lend money, as no others would do so. In 1275, a law literally called the Statute of the Jewry was issued by King Edward, banning money lending and paving the way for their complete expulsion from England 15 years later.

Rowling's agent Neil Blair said Rowling didn't have an "anti-Semitic bone in her body" and called on Stewart to apologize. Given how recent these types of caricatures have been used, including in post-WW1 Germany as part of a "stabbed in the back" conspiracy theory that blamed Jews for losing the war, that's probably (definitely) not going to happen. He did, however, follow up by saying the conversation was done in a "lighthearted" manner and he didn't think Rowling herself was anti-Semitic, notably without recanting what he said about the goblins specifically.