B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International is greatly disappointed that during last night’s Academy Awards on ABC, host Seth MacFarlane used his role in the ceremonies as a platform for jokes which perpetuated Jewish stereotypes. 

During one segment, the McFarlane-voiced character “Ted” appeared onstage and told jokes based on the anti-Semitic stereotype about Jews controlling Hollywood. 

McFarlane’s jokes were tasteless and perpetuate an ugly and dangerous stereotype. The Academy Awards show has one of the largest global audiences of any television event. The offensive stereotyping perpetuates decades-old canards, offering validation to those seeking any justification for anti-Semitism.