Zach Sage Fox said the 'last thing' Stewart wants is to be called a Jew
Viral influencer Zach Sage Fox called out Jewish liberal comedian Jon Stewart over his commentary in a recent video posted to social media.
Fox, who is also Jewish, criticized Stewart over comments he made on "The Daily Show" last week in regard to a clip about former President Trump claiming Vice President Harris "didn't like Jewish people." Stewart responded: "Join the club, we are getting crushed out there. Right now, I'm not even sure how much we like ourselves."
"Jon, I get no pleasure calling you out," Fox said in his video address to Stewart. "As a fat little Jewish kid whose dream it was to go into political comedy, you were one of my biggest inspirations. Largely, not only because you were brilliantly funny, but because you were a Jew. There's so few of us in this big world, so when one of us makes it big, it's inspirational."
"And you played the Jew. Half the comedy that got you famous for revolved around Jewish humor, being Jewish," he continued. "Now, after October 7, when you were silent about the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, I began to wonder if I was wrong to idolize you as a kid. But then again, most of my biggest Jewish icons were silent, so I tried not to hold you to account."
INFLUENCER WARNS GEN Z IS BECOMING 'GEN TERRORISM' AS TIKTOK TAKES 'OMINOUS TURN' AFTER OCT 7
A message to Jon Stewart and Jewish kids around the world…
— Zach Sage Fox (@zachsagefox) August 3, 2024
Tag someone who needs to see this today 👇👇👇#dailyshow #israel #jews #comedy #news #Palestine pic.twitter.com/Imsdv9lvgY
Fox criticized Stewart's commentary on the Israel-Hamas War in recent months following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks and subsequent anti-Israel protests.
"Then, you spent months at your time back at the ‘Daily Show’ bashing Israel, without saying a bad word against Hamas," Fox said. "A genocidal terrorist group that would chop your head off at first handshake, regardless of whether you're a self-hating Jew. Now, you try to divide your own people against each other with your own massive platform while we're still in mourning, while hundreds of us are still being held hostage."
"Not only is that awful, but you're saying things that millions of people that is a flat out lie," he added. "Jews don't hate Jews right now. We are more united than ever, than anything I've ever seen in my entire life. A unity which has given me the inspiration to speak up for our constantly persecuted people. But, I don't think you meant to lie, which means you must not be involved in any Jewish communities."
Fox, who has over a million followers on TikTok and 100,000 on Instagram, attended the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania, co-founded the multimillion-dollar media company Fat Camp Films, and has created content for the Disney Channel, Hulu, HBO and other major platforms. In the wake of Oct. 7, he has been particularly outspoken about his Zionist beliefs.
"Because we may not all agree with each other on everything right now, I mean, we're f---ing Jews," he continued. "But we certainly don't hate each other, just the opposite. We are each other, and we are doing the best we can right now. The last thing we need is someone claiming to represent and speak for us, who clearly hates his ancestry, and now I get why you changed your last name and probably why Zionists like me, and a proud Jew, who auditioned for the ‘Daily Show’ multiple times, never even had a shot."
"Luckily for me, things are turning out okay, because when my people needed me, I was there and I wish you could be too," he added. "Because if you felt the same goodness I have over the last nine months, you wouldn't have it in your heart to spew such hate."
Comedian and social media influencer Zach Sage Fox discusses how antisemitism and anti-Israel content is spreading on TikTok. (Getty/Fox News)
Fox said he still looks up to Stewart and called on him to remember his Jewish roots.
"I hope that one day we can meet," he said. "I still look up to you in many ways and I want to show you the Jewish joy you are missing out on. There is nothing quite like it. The Jewish soul is real, and it is stronger than ever."
"And to the weird Jewish kids watching this wanting to break into comedy today, you don't need to look for strong Jewish idols in the past," he continued. "There is myself and an entire new generation of Jewish rock stars that have risen up since 10/7, who will keep inspiring you, standing up for what is right and loving you unconditionally from afar."
"We'll find humor in horror and happiness in sorrow because that is what Jews have always done," he said. "That is what makes Jewish humor so enriching, so important for our survival and so darkly funny. So the joke is on you, Jon Leibowitz, sorry Jon Stewart, didn't mean to offend you, I know the last thing you want to be called is a Jew."
Fox has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, creating videos that have garnered the attention of millions online.
In May, Fox went viral for a video he made where he asked anti-Israel protesters questions about the Israel-Hamas War, offering $100 to anyone who could correctly answer basic questions about the ongoing conflict. None of the anti-Israel protesters were able to answer correctly.
"I don't think we gave out a single hundred dollar bill the entire time. I mean, no one knew anything," Fox told Fox News Digital.
Last month, Fox traveled to the West Bank to see if Palestinian people truly support the Hamas terror group. His life was threatened by a Palestinian group that was angry that he was asking a woman questions because of modesty and because they felt females shouldn’t speak for all Palestinians.
Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Kendall Tietz is a writer with Fox News Digital.