AJLT draws criticism for anti-Semitic joke aired on Holocaust Remembrance Day: ‘Not planned’

[ad_1]

Matthew Wilkas

HBO Max

The writers of And Just Like That… face criticism for an ill-timed joke.

In this week’s episode of Sex and the City’s revival, a newly single Anthony (Mario Cantone) arrives for dinner at Charlotte’s (Kristin Davis) house with his date Justin (Matthew Wilkas), who remarks that the Holocaust was a prank before Anthony immediately dismisses him.

“Oh, is this a Jewish dinner?” Justin asks after Charlotte mentions taking the challah bread out of the oven. “You know the Holocaust is a hoax, right?

Anthony quickly ends the discussion, demanding that his date “go!” He later apologizes for bringing Justin to dinner.

The comment has since garnered backlash for its unnecessary placement, as well as the fact that the episode, titled “No Strings Attached,” aired on Thursday, which was International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Representatives for Wilkas, HBO Max, showrunner Michael Patrick King and writers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

RELATED: On This Holocaust Remembrance Day, Meet a Fierce 100-Year-Old Woman Who Survived the Unimaginable

On Twitter Thursday, Cantone, 62, shared a snippet of the line, making it clear that the timing was unintentional. “The irony that this came out on Holocaust Remembrance Day…it wasn’t planned but as appropriate,” he wrote.

Fans of the show have always taken issue with the comment, sharing their grievances on Twitter. “But remember the random Holocaust denial ‘joke’? WTF???” wrote one user.

“Wtf @AndJustLikeThat – a Holocaust Memorial Day denier joke? Seriously… so is wtf wtf wtf,” someone else tweeted.

“I mean – that’s a good question. Why would @AndJustLikeThat @hbomax make an unfunny joke about Holocaust denial on Holocaust Remembrance Day?” added another fan.

RELATED VIDEO: And just like that… We Do Sex & the City Astrology | Celebrity Astrology Survey

The story continues

Others praised Anthony’s response to the situation. “Anthony ‘GET OUT!!!!’ Should be the answer to all Holocaust deniers…” wrote one user.

“Anthony yelling GET OUT on his date with the Holocaust denier is gonna be the thing that will get me through today,” someone else tweeted.

Another viewer added, “Loved how Anthony got rid of his date to be a Holocaust denier so funny #AndJustLikeThat GET OUT!”

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held annually on January 27, commemorating the day the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945, along with the six million Jews and millions of other minorities who were killed under Nazi Germany.

[ad_2]