Larry David’s second Saturday Night Live hosting gig did not go off without a hitch. The Jewish comedian is under fire for a controversial monologue he delivered on the NBC late-night show that included a joke about concentration camps. As part of his monologue, the Curb Your Enthusiasm alum stated that he consistently strives to be “a good Jewish representative.” But Larry David then went into a string of Jewish-themed jokes which had some viewers up in arms.
“I’ve always been obsessed with women, and I’ve often wondered if I’d grown up in Poland when Hitler came to power and was sent to a concentration camp, would I still be checking out women in the camp?” David said during his monologue. The comedian then went on to muse about “flirting” with women in a concentration camp.
“The problem is, there are no good opening lines in a concentration camp,” Larry said. “‘How’s it going? They treatin’ you okay? You know, if we ever get out of here, I’d love to take you out for some latkes. You like latkes?’”
In addition to his ill-received Holocaust joke, Larry David veered on questionable territory with jokes about disabled people and the Harvey Weinstein sex scandal.
In a topic that has been fair game this season on Saturday Night Live , Larry David addressed the Harvey Weinstein scandal. David elaborated on what he says is “a very disturbing pattern” of Jewish predators in Hollywood, but he made a joke about a Hollywood heavy hitter accused of rape.
“Not all, but many of them are Jews,” Larry said in reference to sexual assault allegations against movie moguls Harvey Weinstein and Brett Ratner.
“I don’t like when Jews are in the headlines for notorious reasons,” David said.
“I want ‘Einstein discovers the theory of relativity,’ ‘Salk cures polio.’ What I don’t want? ‘Weinstein took it out.’”
You can see Larry Davis’s controversial Saturday Night Live monologue in its entirety at the bottom of this article.
Of course, it’s no surprise that offended Saturday Night Live viewers took to social media to slam Larry David for his monologue, with most pointing to his concentration camp joke as an inappropriate SNL opener. Some viewers called out NBC for allowing the jokes to make it on to the live broadcast.
Larry David is making jokes about hitler and harassment of women! God this is awful and awkward! #snl #SNL2017
— Cass (@_Cx2_) November 5, 2017
But while there was a lot of backlash over Larry David’s SNL monologue, some fans defended the 70-year-old comedian and his “edgy” brand of humor. Annoyed SNL fans told the complainers to “lighten up.”
Oh stop whining about Larry David’s monologue. You either get him or you don’t. We don’t need a bunch of cringing non-Jews crying foul.
— Independent (@HopeforFuture22) November 5, 2017
While he received backlash for his Saturday Night Live monologue, Larry David has never really cared what people think of his brand of comedy. But it’s clear that many Saturday Night Live viewers have now curbed their enthusiasm for Larry David.
Take a look at Larry David’s complete Saturday Night Live monologue below. Do you think he crossed the line?
[Featured Image by Will Heath/NBC]
