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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Jon Stewart’s Next Job? Wrestling Guru.
“Hello! My name is Jon Stewart and welcome to… WWE’s 28th annual SummerSlam!” What? Yes, Jon Stewart, much beloved host of The Daily Show for the past 16 years, has finally moved on to pursue his lifelong dream of hosting wrestling tournaments. Just kidding. Well kind of. Jon is hosting the . But it’s a…
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William Shatner to Host First-Ever ‘Star Trek’ Cruise
“Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a sailor!” Well, lets hope Dr. McCoy sits this Star Trek reunion out. William Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk on the original “Star Trek,” will apparently host the first-ever licensed Star Trek cruise. On the official , he said that the cruise — to be held in two…
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Is the Fat Jew King of (Stolen) Memes?
Looks like the world is turning against The Fat Jew, Instagram’s most popular class clown. After months of , The Fat Jew, or Josh Ostrovsky’s reported Comedy Central pilot has been canned following accusations of plagiarism and less than legitimate curation of content. Michael Ian Black, Patton Oswalt and Norm McDonald are just some of…
The Latest
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Remembering the Night of the Murdered Soviet Yiddish Poets
What made this year’s Remembrance of the “August 12, 1952 Night of the Murdered Poets” Memorial held at the Center for Jewish History unique, was the presence of Ala Zuskin Perelman, daughter of murdered Yiddish actor Benjamin Zuskin. Following greetings by event host *Shane Baker, Director, Congress for Jewish Culture, YIVO Executive Director Jonathan Brent…
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Does ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Have a Jewish Problem?
“Straight Outta Compton,” which opens Fridays in theaters, tells the story of rap group N.W.A (N——z With Attitude) beginning in the mid 1980s, when N.W.A. was just a group of black teenagers that grappled with parents, police, and violence in Compton, California. The biopic follows Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, DJ Yella and MC Ren…
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The Man Who Wrote ‘Exodus’ While Blacklisted
Those of you still pining for Walter White have some new Bryan Cranston action to look forward to. Behold the first trailer for Trumbo, a biopic about celebrated Hollywood screenplay writer Dalton Trumbo, who defied the blacklist during the 1950s Red Scare. Cranston, of course, plays Trumbo, who while not exactly Jewish, . Trumbo, who…
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What to Expect From Mayim Bialik’s New Blog, GrokNation
Don’t expect to find style advice or beauty trends. Do expect musings on grief, the confusion of the Iran deal and neuroendocrinology in an approachable, thoughtful voice. Though technically a “celebrity blog” because, well, it’s a blog and its author is a celebrity, GrokNation is interested not in hawking products but rather in sharing ideas….
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WATCH: First Trailer for Natalie Portman’s ‘Tale of Love and Darkness’
Whether you’re a die hard Amos Oz fan or just love Natalie Portman, this one’s for you. The first international trailer for Portman’s adaptation of the Israeli author’s memoirs . “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” focuses on Oz’s Jerusalem upbringing and his relationship with his mother in the run up to the creation of…
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‘Difficult People’ Star Julie Klausner Explains Why Jews Are Funny
Julie Klausner greets me with a enthusiastic “Shabbat Shalom!” when she answers the phone. The 37-year-old comedian and creator of the new Hulu comedy series ‘Difficult People,’ is mid-way through a whirlwind press tour when we connect, and her sense of humor is firmly intact. When I begin by asking for her thoughts on being…
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Australian Doctor Uses Holocaust as Diet Analogy
Well, this is a new low. Dr. Ric Gordon, a popular medical expert for the Australian morning show “Today,” seems to think that Auschwitz was some sort of fat farm. Gordon recently compared the Holocaust to a diet — apparently the best example he could think of to explain the logic that if you eat less,…
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Billy Joel Welcomes Baby Daughter
Mazel tov, Billy Joel! The 64-year-old singer and his wife Alexis, 34, have just welcomed their first child, daughter Della Rose Joel. The couple have been together since 2009, on July 4 at a surprise ceremony at Joel’s estate in Long Island during their annual Independence Day party. Governor Andrew Cuomo presided over the ceremony….
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