The Daily Show knows a thing or two about Purim. Hence the outrage, shared by nearly everyone who read about New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who applied blackface and dressed up as a "basketball player" for the Jewish holiday, celebrated last weekend, for which celebrants often frock costumes while commemorating the rescue of the Persian Empire's Jewish population as described in the Book of Esther. On last night's episode, host Jon Stewart and correspondent Jessica Williams (who was dispatched to Brooklyn's Flatbush Avenue) explored the many ways in which Hikind not only insulted African-Americans but the tradition of Purim itself. First, here's Jon Stewart's assessment of Hikind's disastrous P.R. efforts to contain the immediate backlash to his costume:

And here's Williams's bevy of suggestions to Hikind:

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at jtrotter at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
J.K. Trotter