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Antisemitism Watch - August 23, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to antisemitism. Watch, I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: with an escalating public dispute involving renowned actor Mark Ruffalo
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: and Paramount's guidance. The media company has accused Ruffalo of
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: invoking antisemitic tropes in his criticism of their proposed one
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: hundred and ten billion dollars acquisition of Warner Bro's Discovery.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Paramount issued a statement, as reported by CNN S Brian Stelter,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: after Ruffalo criticized the transaction on Instagram. He had targeted
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: Oracle co founder Larry Ellison, whose father heads Paramount, raising
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: concerns about Oracle's technology and its relationship with Israel. Paramount stated,
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: according to the report, we are as always troubled when
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: Words like genocide and a part eight applied to a
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: corporate transaction, aren't just their a bridge too far and
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: to describe. The company added it does not tolerate prejudice
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: and called for de escalation. Mister Ruffalo rejected Paramount's characterization,
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: telling The New York Post that the suggestion he is
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: antisemitic was appalling and fundamentally dishonest. He clarified that criticizing
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: the actions of the Israeli Prime Minister, a military technology
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: contract or the executives who supply it is not the
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: same as criticizing Jewish people. Ruffalo also noted that his
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: political views should not be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people,
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: citing the profound influence of Jewish friends and colleagues on
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: his life. In other news, U S Representative Randy Fine
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: stated this past Saturday that Islamism and antisemitism are gaining
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: traction on the right. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: listening to Antisemitism Watch. This report was generated with AI
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: assistance and may contain an accuracy. Please verify important details
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: with primary sources.