Rachel Bloom Introduced The Emmy Accountants With Vaudeville

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By Jenny Singer September 18, 2017

Rachel Bloom, the unlikely star of the 21st century (it’s not too early to call it), did a bit at the Emmy Awards. We’re all gathered here to discuss: was this trash or not?

Dressed in a spangled tuxedo, Bloom stormed the stage with her signature aplomb, followed by a quartet of dancers. Swiveling her hips to the beat of her cane, she sang:

“Boys and girls! Ladies and gents! Are you ready for the main event? If you gotta pee right now, wait to go—cause here comes the best part of the show. Hang on to your hats, cause it’s time to find out what live entertainment is all about. There’s only one reason to watch the Emmys you know and here it, is: the best part of the show! Ladies and gentlemen, the accountants from Ernst & Young!”

Three accountants emerged, waving and holding briefcases. Bloom sang a little more, then shouted, “accountants, let’s make out!”

Was this vintage incisive Rachel, infiltrating a mainstream event and injecting it with irreverence and disregard for convention? Or was it a painful example of yet another court Jew entertaining the masses while simultaneously nurturing the belief that Jews are obsessed with money?

Was Rachel the marionette, with stereotypes pulling the strings, or was she the puppet master?

Find an accountant, hold her close, whisper these questions in her ear, and write us back in the comments.

Jenny Singer is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

Jenny Singer is a freelance writer with pieces in Vox, the Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, Teen Vogue, and more. She was previously a staff writer at Glamour and the Forward, and she’s currently getting an MFA in nonfiction writing at the University of Iowa.

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