Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Sarah Silverman

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Sarah Silverman.

Sarah Silverman is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She gained initial recognition as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live. Silverman is best known for starring in and producing The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Her work often involves observational humor, satire, and tackling controversial topics.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2001: Controversy Over Racial Slur

In 2001, Sarah Silverman used the racial slur "chink" in an ironic fashion during a TV interview with Conan O'Brien. Guy Aoki of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) publicly objected, leading to an open discussion on "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher." Silverman defended the joke without apologizing.

2005: Performed "Jesus is Magic" routine

In 2005, Sarah Silverman performed "Jesus is Magic" routine, where she joked about killing Jesus: "I'm glad the Jews killed Jesus. I'd do it again!" In 2019, she received death wishes from two Baptist pastors over the routine.

June 2007: Jokes at MTV Movie Awards

During the MTV Movie Awards in June 2007, which she hosted, Sarah Silverman joked in her opening monologue about Paris Hilton going to jail for violating probation on an alcohol-related drunk-driving conviction, making Hilton – who was in the live audience – noticeably uncomfortable. She later apologized for the jokes.

June 2007: MTV Movie Awards Hosting

In June 2007, Sarah Silverman hosted the MTV Movie Awards, making controversial comments about Paris Hilton.

September 2007: MTV Video Music Awards Appearance

In September 2007, Sarah Silverman appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards, mocking Britney Spears' comeback performance.

2007: Blackface Sketch on The Sarah Silverman Program

In a 2007 episode of "The Sarah Silverman Program", her character wore blackface and said, "I look like the beautiful Queen Latifah."

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September 20, 2012: Public Service Announcement on Voter ID Laws

On September 20, 2012, Sarah Silverman made a public service announcement (PSA) criticizing new voter identification laws.

2016: Political Activism

During the 2016 United States presidential election, Sarah Silverman became increasingly politically active, initially campaigning for Bernie Sanders and later supporting Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

2017: Silverman Reflects on Racial Slur Controversy

In 2017, Sarah Silverman stated in an interview in the docu-series, "The History of Comedy", that she learned from the experience of using a racial slur in 2001, including that her comedy style isn't for everyone, but she does not want to be viewed as racist because that was not her intent.

2019: Death Wishes Over "Jesus is Magic" Routine

In 2019, Sarah Silverman received death wishes from two Baptist pastors over her 2005 routine "Jesus is Magic", where she joked about killing Jesus: "I'm glad the Jews killed Jesus. I'd do it again!" In response, Silverman condemned the pastors and the "manipulation of what can be true".

2019: Fired From Film Due to Resurfaced Blackface Sketch

Sarah Silverman said in 2019 that a resurfaced still from the 2007 blackface sketch of "The Sarah Silverman Program" had recently caused her to be fired from an unnamed film.

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2021: Criticism for Britney Spears Jokes

In 2021, Sarah Silverman faced renewed criticism for mocking Britney Spears' "slutty clothes" and calling her two sons "adorable mistakes" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Silverman expressed regret over her remarks and claimed that she had not seen Spears' performance before taking the stage in the wake of the documentary "Framing Britney Spears."

July 2023: Sued OpenAI and Meta Platforms

In July 2023, Sarah Silverman and two other authors sued the tech companies OpenAI and Meta Platforms, alleging that their language models ChatGPT and LLaMA were trained on the plaintiffs' books without permission or compensation and that they had obtained said books through an illegal venue.

October 2023: Support for Israel During Gaza War and DSA Departure

In October 2023, Sarah Silverman posted several social media posts and stories in support of Israel during the Gaza war. She also left the Democratic Socialists of America after being a member for several years, citing their published response to the initial Hamas attacks and lack of support for Israel.

2023: Criticism for Social Media Post During Gaza War

During the Gaza war in 2023, Sarah Silverman was criticized for sharing an Instagram post on her story that supported Israel's restriction of food, water and electricity to Gaza. Silverman later took the post down, claiming she had not read it in full before posting.