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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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Transforms Into Janet Jackson for Incredible ‘Rhythm Nation’ Performance
You’re about to fall just a little bit more in love with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. For a special “The Night Before” episode of Lip Sync Battle, Anthony Mackie and Gordon-Levitt went head-to-head as a decked out Seth Rogen watched on from his Elf on a Shelf perch. Mackie brought his A-game for MC Hammer’s classic “2…
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The Real Jewish Christmas Story Behind ‘The Night Before’
(JTA) — Director and writer Jonathan Levine (“The Wackness,” “50/50”) may have grown up in Jew-centric Manhattan, yet he recalls feeling somewhat like an alien every Christmas. “I don’t think it was malicious,” Levine, 39, says in a telephone interview with JTA. “But, in a way, I felt like an outsider looking in at the party.”…
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New Yorker Cartoonist Roz Chast Gets All the Laughs at YIVO 90th Gala
“I didn’t know who YIVO was,” said The New Yorker staff cartoonist Roz Chast honoree at YIVO Institute for Jewish Research 90th Anniversary Gala at the Center for Jewish History. “So I googled it…What came up was that YIVO is a character on a planet in a cartoon series Futurama! Also honored that evening was…
The Latest
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9 Quotes From Jewish Tinder Co-Founder Sean Rad That Will Make You Swipe Left
If all you know about Tinder is that it’s a multi-billion dollar location-based dating app that allows users to browse nearby singles, then sit down, get comfortable and read on. Jewish Tinder co-founder and 10 percent stakeholder Sean Rad raised eyebrows when he gave an interview to the Evening Standard that can only be described…
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Jennifer Lawrence Removed From ‘Hunger Games’ Poster in Bnei Brak
Posters promoting the final “Hunger Games” movie in Jerusalem and the coastal Israeli city of Bnei Brak have scrubbed star Jennifer Lawrence from the main image. The posters for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2” in these cities contain only the fiery crow from the original advertisement and exclude the foreground image of Lawrence posing as…
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The Force is Strong With This ‘Star Wars’ Hanukkah Gift Guide
(JTA) — In the nearly 40 years since the breakout success of the first “Star Wars” film, the franchise has raked in $37 billion, mostly from branded toys and other merchandise. (In the words of Mel Brooks: “Merchandising! Merchandising!”) Ahead of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — the latest reboot of the films, by director…
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Jew(ish) Hottie David Beckham Named ‘Sexiest Man Alive’
Retired English soccer star David Beckham, an international celebrity both on and off the field, was named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” on Tuesday. “It’s a huge honor,” Beckham, 40, told People of being handed the title on its 30th anniversary. “I’m very pleased to accept.” The soccer legend and husband of pop star and…
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‘Zoolander 2’ Trailer is Bringing Blue Steel Back
We’re pretty sure there’s more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking, but who cares? Derek Zoolander is back! View post on imgur.com It’s been 15 years since we felt the cold rush of Blue Steel on our faces but the wait is finally over as Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell…
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Why One Brooklyn Filmmaker Moved Her Family to Jerusalem
“I’ve never looked for easy,” Danae Elon told the crowd at the Doc NYC film festival on November 14, after the American premiere of her film, “P.S. Jerusalem.” In the film, Elon, who is the Jerusalem-born daughter of Israeli writer Amos Elon, decides to take her Algerian-born husband and their three children from the comfortable…
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Why Does Your Bar Mitzvah DJ Cost So Much?
Shopping for a bar mitzvah DJ is a grueling process. You want someone who can successfully pull off the Cha-Cha-Slide, cajole your 81-year-old great uncle Mort onto the dance floor, give out dollar-store prizes with flair, and lead the hora without amassing a body count — all while being up to speed on the latest from…
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Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in the North Carolina Mountains
The mountains of North Carolina make an unlikely locale for the world premiere of a Yiddish-inflected play about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. But Asheville’s not a typical Southern burg, and “Washington Place” opened last week to rapturous reviews at downtown’s Magnetic Theater, which produces original works by regional playwrights. The fact that…
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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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Fast Forward A Jewish city attorney is going after pro-Palestinian protesters. Her Oct. 7 tweets are making it complicated.
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Fast Forward Kehlani responds to Cornell concert cancellation: ‘I am not antisemitic’
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Fast Forward David Horowitz, ’60s radical turned right-wing firebrand and critic of Islam, dies at 86
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News Pro-Nazi singer sells out Zagreb arena as Croatia’s collaborationist past sheds its taboo
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