Wednesday’s Shmooze Celebrity Roundup
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
And speaking of attire, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ditched his usual jeans and hoodie in favor of a grown-up suit and tie (could they be the same ones he wore to his wedding?) for a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Zuckerberg traveled to Russia on a mission to improve Facebook’s position in that country’s social networking market.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the distribution rights to “Fill the Void,” the Haredi-themed film by Rama Burshtain that swept the Israeli Ophir Awards and will be Israel’s Oscar entry this year.
Electric car visionary and Better Place founder Shai Agassi has been removed from his CEO position by the company’s board of directors. Founded in Silicon Valley in 2007 and marketing the use of electric cars in various countries, including Israel, Better Place has racked up $437 million dollars in losses since its inception.
The garrulous Jack Black had a bunch of stuff to say lately, including what he thinks about Seth MacFarlane hosting the Oscars and that he wishes Charlie Kaufman’s much delayed “Frank Or Francis” movie would “f—ing happen.”
Recent pretty young female Jewish celeb talk show appearances included Lea Michele being grilled on reality TV trivia by Ellen DeGeneres, and Rashida Jones sharing embarrassing childhood photos with Conan O’Brien.
Shia LeBeouf rescued a sea lion from some cruel teenagers.
Daniel Radcliffe talked about the inner demons of his character in a new 4-part dramedy scheduled to air on British TV later this year. He also posed as the devil character he plays in his new feature film on the cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine.
Jerry Seinfeld REALLY had a problem with something someone wrote in the New York Times—so much so, that he wrote a letter to the editor about it.
And speaking of Seinfeld, Jason Alexander declared to a bunch of Obama supporters in Iowa that, despite having starred in a wildly successful TV series, he is “hard-core middle class.”
In superhero movie sequel news, Scarlett Johansson will be back as the Black Widow in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
A couple of Hanukkah celebrants—Barbra Streisand and Kenny G., to be precise—will be making appearances on the new cheesy (or should we say greasy?) Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta Christmas album.
The late Amy Winehouse is both seen and heard in a posthumous collaboration with the mononymous rapper Nas. The song is called “Cherry Wine,” and you can watch the video for it here.
Why I became the Forward’s editor-in-chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
, editor-in-chiefSupport our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
