A mainstream comedian and podcast host is under fire for claiming Roseanne Barr was “just being sarcastic” during an appearance on his show where she made horrific comments about the Holocaust.
Theo Von–who was spawned from MTV’s Road Rules universe, so he’s clearly an expert on the history and foreign policy–was trying to “both sides” the Holocaust on Twitter after clips of Barr went viral.
“If I was a concerned family member,” her ex-husband Tom Arnold said to Washington Press exclusively, “I’d see this as a cry for help. And if you want help, you have to be willing to accept it.”
Von was trying to reframe Roseanne’s comments as “sarcasm” when she said, “Nobody died in the Holocaust. It should happen.
“Six million Jews SHOULD die right now, because they cause all the problems in the world.”
This Roseanne-semitism isn’t new, but it’s troubling to some because Barr was born into a Jewish family. [Writer’s note: I am a non-religious Jewish American]
As a real Jewish person who knows none of us are being paid by George Soros while not actually running things, I don’t think anyone in the Tribe claims Roseanne.
Just think of Roseanne as being Jewish, like Stephen Miller is Jewish, and you’re all set.
And that’s how the right-wing Holocaust deniers are coming at this brand-new controversy. How can a Jewish person be anti-Semitic, they pretend to ask?
When they’re Roseanne, for starters.
Von also tried to keep up with her 2020 Presidential election conspiracy theories but also didn’t try to make any sense of them.
It’s the MAGA M.O. to say things and then tell us they didn’t say them. Or they try to say they were joking.
You know who can *maybe* get away with making jokes about the Holocaust? Actual Holocaust survivors, when utilizing that famous Jewish dark humor that’s our default setting survival mechanism.
That’s really about it.
There’s no context for anyone saying what Roseanne said. Von neither challenged nor discouraged Barr’s comments.
In fact, he went on to help her push more anti-Jewish propaganda at a time when American Jews were under attack.
A clip of Roseanne calling Donald Trump “the first woman President” was also circulating as a way to back up legit claims about her being full-on Qrazy.
Smart Twitter–both Jewish and non-Jewish–was rightfully roasting both Roseanne and Theo Von on Tuesday.
Twitter wasted no time in DEMOLISHING them:
“Nobody died in the Holocaust. It SHOULD happen. Six millions Jews SHOULD die right now, because they cause all the problems in the world.”
Is anyone surprised that sicko Roseanne Barr supports Donald Trump?pic.twitter.com/I4szhQmDT1
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) June 27, 2023
Sarcasm or not, Roseanne Barr’s comments about Jews and the Holocaust are reprehensible and irresponsible. This isn’t funny. And shame on Theo Von for letting it go unchallenged and instead diving into conspiracy theories about Jews and Hollywood.
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) June 27, 2023
I surprised at the number of people who are just now finding out that Roseanne Barr is vile. pic.twitter.com/3ApXRYEwYo
— MajorHighTide (@BeauChandler12) June 27, 2023
*THIS IS AN OPINION COLUMN THAT SOLELY REPRESENTS THE OPINIONS OF TARA DUBLIN. HOORAY FOR THE FREE PRESS!
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