The Schmooze lies at the intersection of high and low culture. Here, the latest developments and trends in Jewish art, books, dance, film, music, media, television and theater are all assimilated into one handy pop culture blog.
The Schmooze
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Happy 125th Birthday, Fanny Brice!
Fanny Brice, the legendary comedienne and songstress immortalized by Barbra Streisand in the musical and film “Funny Girl,” would have been 125 years old today. Brice, born Fania Borach on the Lower East Side’s Forsythe Street, captured hearts as a star member of “The Ziegfeld Follies,” the character of Baby Snooks on the radio, and…
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Mel Gibson Says He’s Sober, Not Anti-Semitic and It’s Time To Move On
Mel Gibson doesn’t understand why people are still talking about anti-Semitic remarks he made after a drunk driving arrest in 2006. During an interview with Variety’s podcast Playback, Gibson said he finds it “kind of annoying” when he’s asked to explain his drunken rant. As a recap, ten years ago Gibson was recorded saying that…
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A Conversation with ‘Finding Babel’ Producer and Grandson Andre Malaev Babel
Though not officially listed as a “ Yiddish” writer/poet, the name of Isaac Babel had been part of the “conversation” about the fate of Yiddish writers and poets who were brutally executed at the orders of Stalin. When I was invited to see Andre Malaev Babel’s documentary “Finding Babel” about his grandfather’s legacy, I managed…
The Latest
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7 Absolute Best and Worst Jewish Halloween Costume Ideas
Still trying to figure out your costume for Halloween this weekend? Want to give it a little bit of a topical Jew-y twist? We’ve got the ultimate crib sheet of Jewish themed halloween costumes—from the absolute worst to the very best. Do dress up like gymnastics superstar Aly Raisman. Splits not required. Grab some friends…
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How Aly Raisman Beat Body Image Issues — And Got the Gold
It’s hard to believe that anybody could ever critique gymnast superstar Aly Raisman’s physique. But according to USA Today, the gold medal Olympics winner and her teammate Simone Biles were once made to feel self-conscious about their appearances. “Gymnasts are supposed to look like this,” the Massachusetts native told the publication, stretching out her fingers,…
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Steve Forbes Touts Israel Innovative Beit Hatfutsot Museum of the Jewish People
The powerhouse roster of speakers at Beit Hatfutsot’s 38th Anniversary Tribute to Leon Charney included—among others—Stephen Greenberg, Chair, Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations, Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media, Senator Joseph Lieberman and Wolf Blitzer. “Beit Hatfutsot” (The Museum of the Jewish People} is much more than a museum,” Forbes told…
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7 Jewish Celebrity Date Night Outfits—and How to Copy Them for Less
There is nothing worse than the first-date jitters. You are meeting a person you hardly know for an occasion that has a completely uncertain outcome. One thing you can control? Rocking the perfect outfit for the occasion. These seven Jewish celebrities mastered a variety of looks that are appropriate for any type of date. Here’s…
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7 Things We Learned From ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ Trailer
Amy Sherman-Palladino, the Jewish creator/writer of the smash hit “Gilmore Girls,” once called her series the “Jew-iest goyium show on television.” “It’s this extremely white-bred goyim family, and all they did was talk and argue, like Jews,” she said during the show’s 15-year reunion panel discussion last year. Now our favorite fast-talking (pseudo) Jews are…
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Amy Schumer Lands in Hot Water After Beyonce Parody Video
Amy Schumer is being accused of culture appropriation and disrespecting Beyonce, pop’s reigning queen. Schumer, along with friends Wanda Sykes, Joan Cusack and Goldie Hawn, made a parody video of Beyonce’s recent single, “Formation,” a song that takes a provocative look at police brutality against African-Americans and includes references to the Black Panthers and Hurricane…
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Gal Gadot Says She Would’ve Pulled Krav Maga on Donald Trump’s Wandering Hands
In the wake of allegations of Donald Trump misbehaving at Miss Universe pageants — walking freely amongst dressing rooms while participants changed, etc. — one of the first questions television host James Corden had for former Miss Israel Gal Gadot was whether Trump, when she met him at the 2004 Miss Universe competition, had toed…
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Rachel Bloom Loves Barbra Streisand, And 5 More Confessions From Her Billboard Interview
Rachel Bloom won hearts this past year with “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” the comic musical CW show she created and stars in. In advance of Friday’s Season 2 premier, she sat down with Billboard’s Danielle Bacher to dish on her favorite musicians, first slow dance, and more. Here are 6 of the coolest things she revealed. 1)…
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Fast Forward Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements
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Culture Trump wants to honor Hannah Arendt in a ‘Garden of American Heroes.’ Is this a joke?
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Fast Forward The invitation said, ‘No Jews.’ The response from campus officials, at least, was real.
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Opinion A Holocaust perpetrator was just celebrated on US soil. I think I know why no one objected.
In Case You Missed It
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Opinion The secret cost of Israel’s wars ravaged my family. It’s only getting worse
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Yiddish מחשבֿות פֿון אַן אַהיים־געקומענעם (אַ מלחמה־טאָגגבוך)Reflections of a soldier after returning home (a wartime diary)
דער מחבר איז אַ סטודענט אינעם ירושלימער העברעיִשן אוניווערסיטעט, אינעם צווייטן יאָר ייִדיש־לימוד
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Fast Forward Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements
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News At Harvard, reports on antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias reflect campus conflict over Israel
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