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Norway’s public broadcaster NRK is facing intense criticism after airing antisemitic jokes on a program aimed at children aged nine and older.
The incident occurred on “Nytt pa Nytt,” a weekly satire show. During this past Saturday’s episode, host Tuva Johannessen joked, “U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson believes reasonable people thank America for bombing ships full of fentanyl — but if you replace fentanyl with Jews, it suddenly doesn’t sound so okay.”
The panel burst into laughter. Johannessen then added another line: “Imagine if Jews were being smuggled from Sweden to Norway — that wouldn’t work.”
Jewish advocates and Israeli officials condemned the segment. They argued that state-funded media should never promote antisemitic humor, especially on shows marketed as family-friendly.
BREAKING
Norway: State-owned TV makes jokes about killing Jews for elementary school children.The broadcaster @NRKno continues to air tasteless jokes about Jews. Last night, they even hinted at bombing Jews.
⚠️ The program is rated for ages 9+ (4th grade).FYA @StateSEAS https://t.co/a62Fmww7cP pic.twitter.com/Vx2rOPegLU
— On Elpeleg 🎗️ (@onelpeleg) October 25, 2025
“An Invitation to Watch With Their Kids”
On Elpeleg, an Israeli educator based in Norway, monitors antisemitic content on NRK. He said the broadcaster repeatedly ignored complaints about such incidents. “The hosts’ cynical humor is simply warped,” Elpeleg noted. “The goal here is to humiliate Jews.”
Elpeleg warned that the show’s child-appropriate rating made the situation even worse. “This program is officially rated for ages nine and up,” he explained. “It practically invites parents to watch with their kids. And then people wonder why antisemitism is surging here.”
Because the broadcast aired during prime viewing hours, he said it reinforces hate rather than discouraging it. The controversy deepened since another antisemitic remark aired on NRK only one week earlier.
Another Offensive Broadcast Sparks Condemnation
In a separate NRK radio program, a host made another antisemitic joke: “I have a great morning joke for our listeners. Do you know what happened to the Jew who ran into a wall with an erection? He broke his nose.”
The Israeli Embassy in Oslo reacted immediately, stating, “Antisemitism is never funny. It is unacceptable for such ‘humor’ to be given a platform by Norway’s public broadcaster and remain online. Action must be taken.”
Although NRK later apologized, it refused to remove the segment. Critics said the decision proved that the broadcaster lacked accountability. Others argued that by keeping the clip online, NRK was continuing to spread hatred instead of confronting it.
“It’s 2025, Not 1945”
Elpeleg expressed disbelief that such rhetoric was still aired on national television. “It’s 2025, not 1945 — yet we’re hearing Nazi jokes on state TV again,” he said.
He also pointed to NRK’s wartime record, reminding Norwegians that the network collaborated with Nazi occupiers from 1940 to 1945. “It’s unbelievable that this broadcaster, which boosted their morale back then, still acts this way 80 years later,” he said.
Drawing on his 25 years in education, Elpeleg said he was alarmed by the message this sent to young audiences. “Schools teach about the ‘genocide’ to 13-year-olds,” he pointed out. “Yet at the same time, television normalizes hatred toward Jews. History is repeating itself.”
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
