On Saturday (Feb. 8), Friends actor David Schwimmer took to Instagram to denounce Kanye West’s latest online antisemitic rant. In a powerful and lengthy post, Schwimmer criticized West’s hateful rhetoric, urging X (formerly Twitter) CEO Elon Musk to take immediate action.
Schwimmer Calls Out West’s Hate Speech
Schwimmer began his post with a blunt statement: “This is so 2022.” Accompanying his words was an image of Kanye West set against a black background, with the words “I’m a Nazi” in bold, red font. A screenshot listing some of West’s inflammatory remarks was also included.
The actor didn’t mince words, referring to West as a “deranged bigot” who spews “hate-filled, ignorant bile.” Schwimmer emphasized the real-world consequences of such rhetoric, calling on Musk to stop providing West with a platform.
Schwimmer to Musk: “Silence is Complicity”
“Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X,” Schwimmer wrote. “That’s twice as many people as the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.”
The Friends star then pointed out what he sees as Musk’s failure to act, stating, “I don’t know what’s worse—the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities, including his own) or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point.” Schwimmer stressed that ignoring such behavior amounts to complicity.
ADL and Other Groups Condemn Kanye West
Schwimmer’s outrage mirrors that of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which has also spoken out against West’s continued use of antisemitic rhetoric. In a recent post on X, the ADL stated: “Here we go again. Another egregious display of antisemitism, racism, and misogyny from @kanyewest. Just a few years ago, ADL found that 30 antisemitic incidents nationwide were tied to Kanye’s 2022 antisemitic rants.”
The organization went on to declare: “We condemn this dangerous behavior and need to call it what it is: a flagrant and unequivocal display of hate.”
Elon Musk’s Silence Amid the Controversy
Despite the growing backlash, Elon Musk has yet to respond to calls for action against Kanye West. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who has positioned himself as a free speech advocate, has previously faced criticism for allowing controversial figures to remain on X.
Many are now watching closely to see whether Musk will take decisive action or continue to allow West to use the platform to spread hate.
