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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James Deen Breaks Silence — Denies Rape Claims
James Deen has finally spoken up against the sexual assault allegations piling up against him. In an with the Daily Beast’s Aurora Snow — herself a former adult film star — the man once billed as the “nice Jewish boy” of porn denied that he sexually assaulted any of the women who have publicly accused him….
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When Hanukkah Fails Happen It’s 8 Days of Oops
It’s that time of the year again: the Festival of Lights, feasts of fried food and the slew of well-intentioned (or, commercially intentioned at least) Hanukkah content that sometimes misses the mark. Take for example this Refinery29 video about DIY menorahs. It’s got mason jars, tree branches, coffee beans — you know, everything a hipster…
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8 National Heritage Sites To Visit for Hanukkah
What could be more Jewish than America’s national heritage sites? There might be a few things, but several of the historic treasures have ties to Jewish-American history. In honor of the festival of lights, the people at our National Parks offer suggestions for historic places to visit during the Hanukkah holiday. Touro Synagogue National Heritage…
The Latest
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Nothing Says Hanukkah Like Jenna Jameson Lighting a Menorah
It’s 2015 — if you didn’t post it to social media, it didn’t happen. And Jewish holidays are no exception. So, on this the festival of lights, Jewish celebrities and public figures from Jenna Jameson to Michael Bloomberg took to their feeds to wish their fans a Happy Hanukkah, and prove that their candles were indeed…
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Amy Schumer’s Childhood Video Wins Hanukkah
Move over, . The search for the ultimate Hanukkah video is over — Amy Schumer wins hands down. The Jewish comedian shared a childhood video of her singing “Happy Hanukkah” on her Instagram page and if you haven’t seen it, you need to stop whatever non-essential task you’re doing. In addition to being ADORABLE, Schumer…
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Mariel Hemingway Opens Up About Her Family’s Depression
“I come from one of the greatest American families in the world,” said Mariel Hemingway, Academy-Award-nominated actress, mother, mental health advocate and now author of “Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction and Suicide in my Family.” Speaking to guests at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s Ninth Annual HOPE Luncheon…
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It’s a Sartorially Splendid One Direction Hanukkah
This is our fourth pop-Hanukkah song of the week (sixth overall), and I have to say it took me a few views to warm up to this one. But, wow, is it rich. Filmmaker Erez Cohen teamed up with Manhattan Jewish Experience and a cappella groups Six13, A.K.A. Pella and The Y Studs for “A…
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Elton John to Headline ‘Life Festival’ in Auschwitz Town
Elton John will headline the next Life Festival Oswiecim. He will perform in the city of former Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, at the festival in June, organizers have announced. “Like everyone, I am shocked by the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and elsewhere. In June, in Oswiecim, we’ll be celebrating life, peace and music,” said…
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Liz Taylor Ran a ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ Out of Her Home
Elizabeth Taylor’s fierce commitment to the fight against AIDS was without question. An outspoken advocate for people with HIV, she raised millions of dollars, and was one of the founders of amfAR (the American Foundation for AIDS Research). A new report reveals she was even more hands-on than anyone knew: The violet-eyed Jewish siren was…
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Get High-nukkah Started With This Pot Latke Song
Should we just call it High-nukkah? MC Flow has broken into this year’s witty Hanukkah songs field with her new video “Pot in the Latkes.” She’s a white woman who happens to rap, and given that her song is a paean to the ability of bubbe’s potato pancakes to get the party started, she’s clearly…
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Jewish Porn Star Joanna Angel Calls James Deen a ‘Scary Person’
Jewish porn star Joanna Angel said she feared for her safety during her six-year relationship with fellow porn actor James Deen. Angel called Deen a “scary person” in an interview Wednesday on the Jason Ellis SiriusXM radio show, the Daily Beast reported. Angel’s allegations come less than a week after another of Deen’s ex-girlfriends, the…
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Music Can 6 hours of Billy Joel turn critics into believers?
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Fast Forward Antisemitic assaults and vandalism are down on campuses but online bullying is up, Hillel finds
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