World Jewish News

Judd Apatow to headline ADL benefit

Jewish comedian, director and actor Judd Apatow has been sickened by the racial tensions and uncertainty swirling around the United States over the past week.

So he's taking action - headlining a stand-up show this week in Los Angeles that will benefit the Anti-Defamation League. The show, which will be held on Thursday, is titled "Comics Against Hate," and is set to feature Apatow and an array of other comedians.

"If you are disgusted by Trump and Nazis come to @LargoLosAngeles on 8-24 as we raise money for @ADL_National," Apatow tweeted on Tuesday.

Apatow himself has pulled no punches in his denunciation of the president, who has come under a wave of criticism this past week.

After a white supremacist rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a counter-protester was killed by a neo-Nazi driving his car into a crowd, US President Donald Trump was seen as sympathizing with the demonstrators.

Trump originally blamed both sides for the violence, then two days later offered a condemnation of white supremacists. But just a day after that, he appeared to backtrack, again blaming both sides and saying that some of the neo-Nazis were "very fine people."

Taking to Twitter this week, Apatow called the president a "sniveling racist coward" as well as "The worst of humanity. You will be remembered as a dangerous fool and a failure."

Apatow is not the only celebrity who has been lauding the work of the ADL this week. Comedian Andy Richter and TV host Montel Williams have both tweeted their support this week and urged followers to donate to the organization.

The ADL, which was founded to fight antisemitism and all forms of bigotry, has also condemned the president - in more diplomatic terms.

"President Trump went beyond the pale today in equating racist white supremacists in Charlottesville with counter protesters who were there to stand up against hate," the organization said this week. "The American people deserve better."

By Amy Spiro

JPost.com