Jon Stewart to Newsweek: 'Eat My A**'

The establishment, corporate media strikes again! Maybe. And former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart is trying really hard not to let them get away with it.

On Tuesday, Newsweek published an article claiming that Stewart accused “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling of anti-Semitism during a somewhat recent episode of his “The Problem with Jon Stewart” podcast.

During the clip in question, Stewart and his guests talked about how the goblin bankers in the “Harry Potter” film franchise resembled old caricatures of Jewish people.

Here’s the clip that Newsweek claims displays Stewart accusing Rowling of anti-Semitism:

Stewart might actually believe that the "goblins" looked like an old caricature of Jewish people, but I don't know if you could stretch that into him accusing Rowling of being anti-Semitic.

In response to the uproar, Stewart first quote retweeted the Newsweek tweet promoting the article in question, simply responding to the claim by writing, “No I didn’t.”

At practically the same time, Stewart also tweeted out video from his podcast in which he rakes Newsweek over the coals. The caption simply reads, “Newsweek et al, may eat my a**.”

Stewart definitely tried as hard as he could to make his position on whether he thinks Rowling is an anti-Semite crystal clear. Still, it doesn't mean it's true, but all we have to go on is the man's word - which tends to mean less in Hollywood.

“My name is Jon Stewart,” Stewart began while looking directly into the camera. “I do not think J.K. Rowling is anti-Semitic. I did not accuse her of being anti-Semitic. I do not think that the ‘Harry Potter’ movies are anti-Semitic.” 

In the video clip above, Stewart also said that Newsweek’s “business model is f**king arson.”

It's difficult to say which side to land on in this debate of whether Stewart does or doesn't think Rowling is an anti-Semite. Sure, he might've been joking and lighthearted in his conversation about the topic. But it also says something that he's playing such hard defense, when you take the following into consideration:

Do I think that Stewart thinks Rowling is an anti-Semite? Probably not. But, he did make it easy for some to think so with the comments he initially made.