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The Schmooze

Thursday’s Shmooze Celebrity Roundup

We’re going to start off today’s roundup with all the Jewish sports news that’s fit to print:

First, on the basketball court: NBA basketball player Malcolm Thomas, who was being considered by the Miami Heat, opted to sign a 1-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, Israeli player Gal Mekel, who played two seasons for Wichita State back in 2006-2008, has been extended an invitation to a Utah Jazz training camp.

Over at the pool, Olympian champion Anthony Ervin has gotten creative and launched an Indiegogo campaign to support his bid to compete in the 2012 FINA World Cup Series. Another Olympic champion, Jason Lezak hosted a free swim clinic for youngsters in Colorado last weekend.

Finally, in baseball, the Brewers’ Ryan Braun is serving as the honorary chair at Aids Walk Wisconsin, which he will personally participate in this coming weekend in Milwaukee.

And in non-athletic news:

It seems like not a day goes by without word of what Lena Dunham is up to. The latest is that she looks smashing in British fashion magazine ASOS, and she has promised to introduce some racial diversity to “Girls.”

Sarah Jessica Parker, who is on the cover of the November issue of Elle, says she is done with playing Carrie Bradshaw-type characters.

Israeli President Shimon Peres was “attacked” by a plant that fell on him during a public event in his sukkah. It’s fun to watch how quickly his security detail zoomed in to deal with the offending shrub — and, better yet, how Peres thought to take out his comb and restyle his hair after the ordeal.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company, Goop, is reportedly interested in producing a musical based on the music of 1980’s girl band the Go-Go’s.

Illusionist David Blaine’s latest stunt is sure to be electrifying.

Law & Order SVU’s Richard Belzer tried and failed to make a rape joke and a Nazi salute seem funny during a FOX interview.

Once sexy, always sexy. Ellen Barkin made Entertainment Weekly’s list of the top TV hotties over 55.

Writer Jill Soloway’s comedy series “Wendy & Peter” about a single working mom who becomes the right-hand woman of a kid-genius tech billionaire has been sold to FOX. Reese Witherspoon has signed on to executive produce.

Gadfly James Franco has yet another project: directing four short films and advertisements for shoe designer Stuart Weitzman. The films feature model Petra Nemcova and (of course) Weitzman’s shoes. Hereis a look at the first in the series.

Have a gander at the plans for Israeli writer Etgar Keret’s super-tiny house that architectural firm Centrala is designing to fit in a crack between two buildings in Warsaw.

We’ve already seen a clip, but now we can enjoy the official theatrical trailer for Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen’s mother-son road movie to be released on Christmas. Looks like it will be a real trip.

Peter Coyote, Jason Alexander, Noah Wyle, Roseanna Arquette, along with a number of other civically minded actors and singers, are really hoping you were watching the Presidential debate last night instead of watching their shows and movies or listening to their music. They said so in an open letter disseminated by the Choose YOUR America campaign, a non-partisan educational initiative.

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