Bernie Bernstein and Trevor Noah Image by Comedy Central Screengrab

Jon Stewart impersonating a political scammer impersonating a made-up Jewish journalist named Bernie Bernstein — it’s a Russian nesting doll of anti-Semitism and pop culture, just in time for the Hanukkah shopping season.

Stewart appeared on the ‘Daily Show’ on Thursday night as ‘Bernie Bernstein,’ the sham Washington Post reporter in whose name fake robocalls messages left on some Alabama voicemails have offered women financial rewards in exchange for “damaging remarks” about Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore. Marty Baron, the executive editor of The Post, has said that the calls have no connection to the newspaper and added, “We are shocked and appalled that anyone would stoop to this level to discredit real journalism.” However, on Thursday night, ‘Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah received a call from Bernie Bernstein himself.

“Hello, Trevor boychik,” said Stewart-as-Bernstein, in an accent that calls to mind a Borscht-Belt grandma deep in a bottle of schnapps. “How can you say that Bernie Bernstein isn’t real? It’s me, oy vey iz mir!” Stewart/Bernstein continued, somewhat desperately, “I’m a real person. I’m a very Jewish person!”

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Once he was apprehended, Stewart confessed that he was really there to advertise his “Night of Too Many Stars” autism services benefit event, airing on HBO this Saturday night.

“You don’t need anti-Semitism to come onto the show, Jon,” Noah pointed out. “You could just ask me.” “I know I don’t need it,” said Stewart. “I just like it that way. It’s how I function best.”

Meet ‘Bernie Bernstein’ here:

Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount