Two Congressmen Wed, Colbert Claims Credit
Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central’s late-night faux conservative talk-show host, is claiming credit for the recent respective nuptials of two Jewish Democratic congressmen: Brad Sherman of California and Steven Rothman of New Jersey.
Sherman’s marriage to Lisa Nicola Kaplan, a State Department antisemitism specialist, was announced Sunday in The New York Times. The next day, in his December 4 broadcast, Colbert quipped, “What better way to be pro-Semitism than to breed with Brad Sherman?”
Colbert offered his congratulations, and noted that Rothman also had appeared on the show before finding his match, Jennifer Beckenstein, community affairs coordinator of the Center for Food Action in Englewood, N.J.
“Lonely congresspeople, I have a better success rate than eHarmony,” Colbert boasted. “Plus I don’t make you fill out a bunch of useless forms. I’ll be the one to decide if you are fit and toned.”
Rothman, who has two children from a previous marriage, told The Shmooze that things have been going “great” with his new wife, but he denied Colbert credit for an assist.
“I actually was dating her at the time [I appeared on the show], so he can’t claim credit,” Rothman said.
The New Jersey lawmaker said that he found Beckenstein after logging about two years on JDate.com. “She’s wonderful,” he said.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
