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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Jewish Celebrities Take The Ice Bucket Challenge
By now you’ve probably heard of the Ice Bucket Challenge. The deal is, if you get nominated, you have to pour ice water over your head or donate $100 to ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) research. This disease, which eventually results in paralysis and death, affects approximately 30,000 Americans. Watch as our favorite Jewish celebrities take…
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Rabbi Shmuley Boteach vs. Russell Brand
Russell Brand is no stranger to controversy. Between calling out Hugo Boss as a Nazi during a GQ gala and calling Fox News’ Sean Hannity a “terrorist,” the British comedian has certainly made his fair share of enemies. Now, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has joined the chorus of haters. In an op/ed published in The New…
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Getting It Right: How Hollywood Does Haredi
(JTA) — When it comes to Hasidic characters in movies, film consultant Elli Meyer believes that the real deal trumps a random actor in costume. But that approach isn’t without its challenges. Meyer, a New York-based Lubavitcher Hasid, recounted one occasion when he was hired to cast extras for a film but refused upon learning…
The Latest
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Lauren Bacall’s Style Is Getting A Museum Exhibit
Before Beyonce, there was Lauren Bacall. The countless odes and elegies to the late actress, who died last week at age 89, have all but confirmed her place as Hollywood Golden Age’s queen of cool. And now, we hear her impeccable style (which a “To Have or Have Not” obsessed tween may or may not…
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POEM: ‘BRUJA’
From “Salome Libretto” Through the fercockte gawk-stalkin’ hack stackers of antiquity trickery lexically-licked sticky flickering Salomé, you are bringing in the big guns Opening the sluice gates with your hyper dramatic excess Flexed with swishy riffs, pithy spiff grifters Like a shattered chatter box schadenshow like a discordant accordion like manna from mayhem you are…
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Robin Williams and the Old Jewish Tailor
Getty Images The world is mourning Robin Williams, a comedic powerhouse, Hollywood legend, and honestly, a childhood best friend. He was our very own blend of gentle and maniacal, it shouldn’t have worked, but it did. And for the first time in my life, the death of a celebrity has had such a visceral and…
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Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland’s ‘Third Most Famous Jew’
Irish director Lenny Abrahamson concedes that his latest film, “Frank,” is eccentric. The movie is inspired by British comedian and musician Chris Sievey, who adapted the stage persona of Frank Sidebottom and toured Britain with a band. Not well known outside the U.K., Sievey was similar to — but never quite as successful as —…
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Love Scrabble? Brush Up on Your Yiddish
Wikimedia (JTA) — Next time you’re playing Scrabble, you can put down “schmutz,” “schtum” or even “tuchus” without fear of being challenged. (“Tuchuses,” the plural, is also acceptable.) These are just some of the new Yiddish words to be added to Merriam-Webster’s “Official Scrabble Players’ Dictionary.” The dictionary’s fifth edition, published this month, includes more…
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Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘Honorable’ New Show
On the Daily Show, Maggie Gyllenhaal told Jon Stewart that she has not received any backlash about the politics of “The Honorable Woman,” the new show that she stars in. Since it centers on the ongoing turmoil of Israeli-Palestinian relations, Stewart looked amused. “You have very thoughtful friends,” he said. Granted, the eight-part mini-series written…
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Lauren Bacall Remembered — On And Off Screen
Actress Lauren Bacall, who died on August 13 at 89, was an early presence in my life. As a pre-teen in 1944 Montreal I saw Bacall (nee Betty Perske) in “To Have and To Hold” never dreaming that she would one day grace my columns in The Forward! My classmates at the Workmen’s Circle School…
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How Nina Paley Made ‘This Land Is Mine’ Viral
Whenever the Israeli-Palestinian conflict heats up, “This Land Is Mine,“ Nina Paley’s brilliant, succinct and devastating three minute animated history of the conflict, played out to Andy William’s performance of “The Exodus Song,” goes viral. Given recent events, Paley’s film has gotten plenty of views since she first posted it online in October 2012 —…
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