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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‘Star Wars’ — Or a Woody Allen Movie?
Let’s play a game. Take a look at the following quotes from the original “Star Wars” trilogy, and repeat them with a Woody Allen voiceover: “I’ve got such a bad case of dust contamination, I can hardly move.” “Where am I? Where is everybody?” “With all we’ve been through, sometimes I’m amazed we’re in as…
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Jewish Stars and Droids Take Over ‘Star Wars’ Premiere
The Force was strong at last night’s star-studded premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Celebrities and fans alike shared the red carpet with a squadron of storm troopers, droids and at least one Yoda. Below are some of our favorite moments: Looks like between director J.J. Abrams and the original intergalactic heartthrob, Han Solo,…
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Howard Stern Inks New 5-Year Deal with Sirius XM
Satellite radio service provider Sirius XM Holdings Inc said it had signed a new five-year deal with celebrity radio jockey Howard Stern for “The Howard Stern Show.” Under the deal, Stern will continue to produce and host the show, and Sirius will also venture into video programming, the company said on Tuesday. Sirius has signed…
The Latest
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Norman Lear Says Archie Bunker Would Have Backed Donald Trump
Like the larger-than-life personalities he created for television —- Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, and Maude — Norman Lear says exactly what’s on his mind. Lear, 93, didn’t mince words in a recent interview when it came to Donald Trump and the Republican front-runner’s legions of supporters. “Donald Trump is a fool and an a—hole,” the…
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Donald Trump’s Jewish Doctor Has Out-Trumped Him
Breaking news: There exists a man on this planet who speaks in more convoluted prose than Donald Trump. His name is , MD. Bornstein, who has been Trump’s personal physician since 1980, gave the Republican U.S. presidential candidate a clean bill of health in a letter released by the Trump campaign on Monday. “I am…
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Mandy Patinkin is Confused by Ted Cruz ‘Princess Bride’ Memes
The Internet is a really strange place. Just one click could bring you videos of — or a meme of Ted Cruz face superimposed on Mandy Patinkin’s body. Some context: Ted Cruz, apparently a fan of the 1987 classic “The Princess Bride,” has taken to reciting the line made famous by Patinkin’s character, Inigo Montoya, on…
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Taylor Swift is No ‘Nazi Barbie,’ Jewish Group Tells Camille Paglia
An Australian Jewish group has criticized author Camille Paglia for referring to Taylor Swift as an “obnoxious Nazi Barbie.” The chairman of the Australian B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission called Paglia’s comments, which she published in an article for the Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, “obscene.” “While Paglia is entitled to her views about Taylor Swift’s music…
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Folksbiene’s Bryna Wasserman Talks ‘The Golden Bride’
“Today I am happy!” Bryna Wasserman, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene executive director, told me following the December 8 and 9 Gala launches of “The Golden Bride,” (Di Goldene Kale) a revival of Joseph Rumshinsky’s deliciously amazing operetta at the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Edmund J. Safra Hall. This is the first since 1920 that the…
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Holocaust Film, ‘Son of Saul,’ Nominated for Golden Globe
A searing Holocaust film, “Son of Saul,” is one of five foreign-language movies nominated for a Golden Globe trophy. The Hungarian movie, whoich won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, is also an early favorite in the foreign-language Oscar race, which includes entries from 81 countries. In “Son of Saul,” the character of…
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Jon Stewart Dresses Up as Donald Trump
(JTA) — Jon Stewart may have left “The Daily Show” before Donald Trump’s campaign got into its headline-stealing groove, but that doesn’t mean that the Jewish comedian can’t still take shots at the Donald. On Thursday, Stewart joined his old Comedy Central companion Stephen Colbert on CBS’ “The Late Show” in his latest attempt to bring…
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Introducing Miss Israel
(JTA) — Avigail Alfatov eats her pizza upside down and has funny hiccups. Her favorite food is falafel and she makes her face shine by wiping it with green tea bags. How do we know this and, perhaps more important, why do we care? Well, Alfatov is the reigning Miss Israel and is the country’s entry…
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Most Popular
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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 In ‘Guns & Moses,’ an Orthodox rabbi packs heat — no questions asked
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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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