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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Abby Mueller to Play Carole King in ‘Beautiful’ National Tour
Ladies and gentlemen, your new Carole King is…Abby Mueller. Jessie Mueller’s sister of the “Natural Woman” in the national tour of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” (For non-Broadway fanatics, Jessie Mueller won the a Tony Award in 2014 for her portrayal of King in the same musical.) According to Broadway World, the tour will launch…
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Yes, This is a Nazi-Themed Cheerleader Routine
No, it’s not a Hitler Youth parade — it’s a cheerleading competition. One of the teams competing in a cheerleading smackdown in the Mexican city of Guadalajara (in May) got slammed on social media last week when a video surfaced showing their highly offensive routine featuring swastikas, goose-stepping and “Sieg Heils” galore. The cheery bunch included…
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The Original Rachel Dolezal Was a Jew Named Mezz Mezzrow
As we all know, Rachel Dolezal was by no means the first white American to take on aspects of African-Americanness in her persona — calling Elvis, is anybody home? — although she will go down in history as one of the all-time champions of the syndrome based on the sheer chutzpahdik of her transformation. But…
The Latest
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Jon Stewart on Rachel Dolezal: ‘WHAAAAAAT?’
Jon Stewart doesn’t tape on Fridays, so the universe had to wait until Monday night to hear his insight into the Rachel Dolezal scandal, which caused the internet to implode over the weekend. In case you haven’t been following (or spent your weekend binge watching “Orange is the New Black”) : Rachel Dolezal, head of…
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Kim Kardashian Posts Photos Of Her Jerusalem Trip
Kim Kardashian has finally given the public a glimpse of her recent visit to Israel with husband Kanye West by posting photos on Twitter and Instagram. After a tour of the Republic of Armenia (Kardashian is half-Armenian), the reality TV star and her hip-hop star husband visited Israel in April. The couple, known as Kimye,…
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8 Jewish Things About the Magna Carta On Its 800th Anniversary
Happy birthday Magna Carta! The iconic document was signed 800 years ago today — on June 15, 1215, — when the nobles forced King John of England to guarantee human and economic rights. Three clauses out of the historic document’s total 63 pertained to Jews. By this time, for more than a hundred years. In…
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When Ruth Bader Ginsberg Met Natalie Portman
In a true “life imitates art” moment, it seems Natalie Portman and Ruth Bader Ginsberg had a little chat about women’s rights. The actress, who will be playing the Supreme Court Justice in the upcoming biopic, was insistent that the film’s director be a woman, during the American Constitution Society’s convention on Sunday. “Natalie Portman…
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Kulturfest’s Opening Night Lives Up to Its Billing
Kulturfest brands itself as the “first international festival of Jewish performing arts,” and on the festival’s first day, Sunday, it lived up to its billing with a grand opening concert featuring dozens of artists representing at least five continents and a panoply of musical styles. The event was held at Winter Garden at Brookfield Place,…
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7 Jews Who Made It Big In Porn
Last week, the news surfaced that “Queen of Porn” Jenna Jameson . Jameson, who has been married twice before, is engaged to Israeli Lior Bitton (who works in L.A.’s diamond business and has been charged with stealing merchandise from his stores). Jameson’s Instagram page is filled with photos of challah and other kosher dishes she’s…
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Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation Throws ‘Save the Pitbulls’ Party
Greeting the more than 100 champagne-sipping guests at their Park Avenue home for the June 5 “Save the Pit Bulls” Kick Off Party — in advance of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation July 18 th “Unconditional Love Dinner Dance” — were Martin Shafiroff and event co-chairs Jean Shafiroff and Patrick McMullen. Guests were also made welcome by…
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Tel Aviv Pride Is as Fierce as Ever
Tel Aviv’s 17th annual Gay Pride Parade took place this Friday. Over 180 thousand participants were expected by the municipality, including around 30,000 tourists who came to participate in the weekend’s Pride events. The temperatures were milder than usual and the city’s streets filled with the nation’s fiercest and proudest, members and allies of the…
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