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 comedian, actress, and writer, recognized for her stand-up comedy and roles in television and film. She gained initial recognition as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live. Silverman is most notably 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 comedic style often involves satire and addressing controversial topics.

Sections (4)

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

2001: Controversy Over Use of Racial Slur

In 2001, Sarah Silverman used the racial slur "chink" in an ironic fashion in the context of a joke during a TV interview with Conan O'Brien. Guy Aoki of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) publicly objected to her use of the slur, and the two had an open discussion on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. Silverman defended the joke and did not apologize.

2005: Jesus Is Magic Routine

In 2005, Sarah Silverman joked about killing Jesus in her "Jesus is Magic" routine, saying "I'm glad the Jews killed Jesus. I'd do it again!"

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June 2007: Controversy 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, where she made controversial comments about Paris Hilton.

September 2007: MTV Video Music Awards Appearance

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

2007: Blackface Controversy on The Sarah Silverman Program

In 2007, in an episode of "The Sarah Silverman Program", Sarah Silverman's character wore blackface and said "I look like the beautiful Queen Latifah."

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2017: Reflected on Racial Slur Controversy

In 2017, in an interview in the docu-series "The History of Comedy", Sarah Silverman stated that she learned a lot from the 2001 experience using a racial slur, 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.

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2019: Received 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. In response, Silverman condemned the pastors and the "manipulation of what can be true".

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2019: Fired from film due to resurfaced blackface still

In 2019, Sarah Silverman said that a resurfaced still from the 2007 sketch on "The Sarah Silverman Program" where she wore blackface had recently caused her to be fired from an unnamed film.

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2021: Regret Over Britney Spears Remarks

In 2021, Sarah Silverman's 2007 monologue at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she mocked Britney Spears' "slutty clothes" and called her two sons "adorable mistakes", garnered renewed criticism shortly after the release of the documentary "Framing Britney Spears". In the wake of this, Silverman expressed regret over her remarks and claimed that she had not seen Spears' performance before taking the stage.

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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 the defendants' respective 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: Supported Israel During Gaza War and Left DSA

In October 2023, Sarah Silverman posted 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 Sharing Post Supporting Israel's Restrictions on Gaza

In 2023, during the Gaza war, 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.