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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Amy Schumer’s Biggest Flop and 5 Other 2015 Jewish Moments Immortalized in Barbie Dolls
Remember that prank Amy Schumer pulled on Kanye West and Kim Kardashian? When she fell straight on her face on the red carpet in front of them at the Time 100 Gala? Now that moment, and a few other great moments of this past year, have been immortalized thanks to our favorite Jewish doll and…
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How ‘Transparent’ is Reshaping Image of Transgender Jews
The prevalence of transgender issues in pop culture seems to have reached a pinnacle this year. Caitlyn – nee Bruce – Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair. The movie “Tangerine,” which stars transgender actors, took film critics by storm. Director Tom Hooper’s “The Danish Girl,” currently in theaters, tells the story of one…
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Leonardo DiCaprio Is Embracing Kabbalah (Maybe)
Is Leonardo DiCaprio jumping on the Kabbalah bandwagon? The New York Daily News reported today that the actor was seen at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood donning a red string on his wrist during a Q&A for “The Revenant,” his latest film about a frontiersman who’s attacked by a bear and left for dead….
The Latest
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Daniel Radcliffe Has More Than $100M to His Name
It’s safe to say that, despite playing one in “Trainwreck,” Daniel Radcliffe will never have to be a dog walker to make ends meet. The Daily Mirror estimated that the assets of the 26 year-old Jewish actor, who starred as Harry Potter in the eight-movie franchise, are worth over £69 million. Which is over $102…
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Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead Hellraiser and Nazi Aficionado, Dies at 70
Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister had a fascination with Nazi regalia. Motorhead’s hard-living “Lemmy” Kilmister, who sparked controversy when it was revealed he had an extensive collection of Nazi memorabilia in his home, has died. He was 70. Kilmister, the band’s frontman and bassist, was hailed by fans as a legend and rock icon after news…
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Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fisher Donate $1M To Help Syrian Kids
Sacha Baron Cohen and his wife, actress Isla Fisher. British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and his wife, actress Isla Fisher, have donated some $1 million to help Syrian children. The couple is giving about half the sum to the Save the Children charity to pay for measles vaccinations for children in northern Syria…
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Sarah Silverman Spurs Outrage — Surprise — By Calling Jesus ‘Gender Fluid’
For those who are students of comedian Sarah Silverman’s take-no-prisoners humor, this one seems almost tame. On Christmas Day, just as the sun was coming up, Silverman posted these words on Twitter and Facebook: “MERRY CHRISTMAS! Jesus was gender fluid!” She’s been trending on social media ever since. One critic scolded on Twitter: “Have some…
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Unstoppable J.J. Abrams’ ‘Force Awakens’ To Top $1B in Ticket Sales
The Force remains strong with the new “Star Wars” movie, which is on track to top $1 billion in global ticket sales this weekend, making it the fastest-ever film to reach that level. Walt Disney Co said in a statement on Saturday that “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” had generated box office receipts of $890.3…
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Remember These 10 Jewish Moments from 2015?
(JTA) — This year, as always, Jews contributed to the worlds of art, music, literature, film, television, comedy — and even Instagram modeling. Here are some of the moments that made members of the tribe stand out in the increasingly bizarre, fast-paced whirlwind of American pop culture. 1. Larry David’s Bernie Sanders impersonation on “SNL” One…
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What is this Mysterious Object Found at Jerusalem Gravesite?
An ancient rolling pin? An unusable bowling pin? An impractical paperweight? Six months ago, a 19-pound object was brought to the attention of the Israeli Antiquities Authorities after it was found at a burial site in Jerusalem. So this week, the Authorities put out one heck of audience engagement project. Fearing it might be an…
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Rand Paul Skewers Donald Trump on Yiddish After ‘Schlong’ Debacle
Sen. Rand Paul knows a thing or two about Yiddish and he used today’s celebration of Festivus to call out Donald Trump for his Hillary Clinton “schlonged” comments. “If u bring the Yiddish, know what it means. Guess that’s more of a kvetch than a grievance,” Paul tweeted, showing off his own command of the…
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Film & TV The new ‘Superman’ is being called anti-Israel, but does that make it pro-Palestine?
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Fast Forward Tucker Carlson calls for stripping citizenship from Americans who served in the Israeli army
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Opinion This German word explains Trump’s authoritarian impulses — and Hitler’s rise to power
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Music ‘No matter what, I will always be a Jew.’ Billy Joel opens up about his family’s Holocaust history
In Case You Missed It
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Culture Rabbi, get your gun
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Opinion How I got AI to create fake Nazi memos — and what that means for the future of antisemitism
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Fast Forward How the Jewish commandment to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ could help a woman challenge Kentucky’s abortion ban in court
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Yiddish ווידעאָ: יוטוב־פּערזענלעכקייט רעדט אויף ייִדיש וועגן אַ משפּחה־טראַגעדיעVIDEO: Youtube personality speaks in Yiddish about a tragedy in the family
מאַטי מענדלאָוויטשעס ברודער, וואָס האָט יאָרן לאַנג געליטן פֿון דעפּרעסיע, האָט הײַיאָר זיך גענומען דאָס לעבן. .
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