Dan Epstein
By Dan Epstein
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Culture The Jewish jazz master who Hunter S. Thompson thought could cure any ailment
I first met Herbie Mann in January 1979, when I noticed him bursting out of a phone booth in the parking lot of Tower Records in L.A. It wasn’t the noted jazz flutist in the flesh, of course, but rather the image of him on a six-foot-tall cover of his new album, “Super Mann,” which…
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Culture How Neil Diamond’s most personal song chronicled his journey out of Brooklyn
Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. “Velvet Gloves and Spit,” Neil Diamond’s third album, generally gets a bad…
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Culture How ‘Jaws’ started out as a movie and became a pop culture phenomenon
Editor’s Note: The director Steven Spielberg turns 75 on Dec. 18. To mark that momentous occasion, the Forward is running a series of essays reassessing his films. It’s the last weekend of August 1975, and my friends and I are excitedly flopping into our seats at the State Theater in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. We’ve…
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Culture How Neil Diamond wrote his best song and worst album — and why it’s all Lenny Bruce’s fault
“Stones,” Neil Diamond’s seventh studio album, celebrates its 50th anniversary on Nov. 5. It was a pretty big success in its day, reaching #11 on the Billboard 200, selling over 500,000 copies, and containing two Top 20 hits — one of which, “I Am… I Said,” may be the greatest song Diamond ever wrote. And…
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Culture The 10 most terrifying (Jewish) songs for Halloween
Due to Halloween’s pagan origins, Rabbinic law prohibits the Jewish celebration of the popular autumn holiday, which might explain why there’s usually a notable scarcity of “slutty rabbi” costumes at your typical All Hallows’ Eve bacchanal. But the dark allure of haunted houses, jack-o’-lanterns and (let’s be honest here) candy corn is often too powerful…
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Culture Was ‘Blazing Saddles’ better than ‘Young Frankenstein?’ — Mel Brooks’ films ranked from 11-to-1
For many of us, especially those who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, Mel Brooks has always been something of an extended family member, the hilarious uncle we madly adore even though he never actually shows up for our weddings, seders or any other festive occasions. Indeed, nothing sent a jolt of electricity through…
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Culture They were the most important band of the 80s — even if they broke up a decade before
When I think of the 1980s, I think of The Velvet Underground. Sure, the band itself had ceased to exist in any meaningful way back in August 1970, when Lou Reed walked out and went home to Long Island following a legendary stand at Max’s Kansas City. And sure, there was little to no evidence…
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Film & TV Neil Diamond’s blackface scene might be the most embarrassing moment in Jewish cinema history
On October 6th 1927, the original film production of “The Jazz Singer” made its world premiere at the Warners’ Theatre in midtown Manhattan. (I know, I know — seems like just yesterday, right?) Though difficult to sit through these days, even without the segments where Al Jolson appears in blackface, “The Jazz Singer” nevertheless continues…
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די שריפֿט איז אַ סך קלאָרער ווי פֿריִער און די ייִדיש־שפּראַכיקע אַרטיקלען געפֿינען זיך באַזונדער פֿון די ענגלישע. -
Opinion A Palestinian was shot and paralyzed over a generator. Now Israel threatens to take his home
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