'Do Not Invite Him Back': Kumail Nanjiani Blasted for 'Cheap' Holocaust Joke at 2026 Oscars
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani has been slammed by viewers for making a holocaust joke at the Oscars.
March 16 2026, Published 1:58 p.m. ET
Kumail Nanjiani deserves a lifetime ban from the Oscars over his Holocaust joke, according to fuming viewers.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the comedian, 47, caused controversy after delivering his routine about condensing feature-length movies into shorter versions ahead of presenting the Best Live Action Short Film gong at Sunday night's star-studded ceremony.
What Did Nanjiani Say To Offend Viewers?
Nanjiani joked 'Schindler's List' could be renamed 'Schindler's Post-It' during routine about shortening film titles.
He told the audience: "There is a real art to making a short film," before proceeding to rebrand several classic titles, transforming It's A Wonderful Life into It's A Wonderful Month and The King's Speech into The King's Tweet, before renaming Steven Spielberg's Holocaust drama Schindler's Post-It.
The gag swiftly drew condemnation across social media platforms, with numerous viewers expressing their displeasure.
One user posted on X: "Can't say that Schindler's List joke was uh in any good taste!"
Another critic penned: "A list isn't a form of stationery, so 'Schindler's post-it' doesn't make any sense. bad joke."
Why Do Fans Want Him Banned?
Critics believed Nanjiani pushed things too far by making the Holocaust gag.
Some responses were considerably harsher, with one viewer branding it a "CHEAP leftist antisemitic comment" and demanding the comedian never be invited back.
One user said: "Hollywood is now joking about the Holocaust at the Oscars. My, how far we've come," whilst others questioned how anyone could find such material amusing.
"That was just gross and disrespectful tbh," another angry viewer penned.
However, not everyone took issue with Nanjiani's remarks, with some viewers rushing to his defense online.
Is Anybody Defending Comic?
Nanjiani, here with screenwriter wife Emily V. Gordon, was backed by some viewers, who claimed he was only playing on the title of film.
Defenders argued the comedian was, in fact, not making fun of the historical atrocities depicted in Spielberg's 1993 film about Oskar Schindler, who rescued more than 1,100 Polish-Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution.
"It was a play on the title; it did not make fun of the Holocaust," one supporter argued.
Another agreed with this assessment, posting: "It was a mildly humorous play on words regarding the title of the film. Hardly inappropriate."
Nanjiani, who is married to screenwriter Emily V. Gordon, was later involved in more controversy, this time not of his own making, after the award for the Best Live Action Short Film category he was presenting resulted in a rare tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, marking only the seventh such occurrence in Oscars history.
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Spanish actor Javier Bardem took the opportunity to make a political statement during his time on stage.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem also made headlines by delivering the evening's most direct political statement at the 98th Academy Awards, declaring "No to war and free Palestine" before announcing the Best International Feature Film winner.
He then went on to explain his motivation, saying: "It's a great opportunity to say things like 'no to war, no to this illegal war that (is) creating so many deaths.'"
Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another dominated the evening, claiming six awards including Best Picture and Best Director, whilst Ryan Coogler's Sinners secured four trophies from its record-breaking 16 nominations.
