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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London’s JW3 Opens to Fanfare
A queue snaking down north London’s Finchley Road is an unusual sight, as are people on stilts, musicians and ice cream vendors. But JW3, London’s new Jewish community centre, finally opened its doors on September 29 to a crowd that may have represented an unprecedented representation of the community. On the first of two launch…
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Scarlett Johansson’s Average SAT Score
This just in: Contrary to all appearances, Scarlett Johansson is not perfect. In an interview with Darren Aronofsky, the “Don Jon” actress revealed her SAT score — and it was just average. “I think the way it worked when I took them was that they were out of 1,600, so maybe you’d get a 1,240…
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Ben Stiller and James Franco’s Arcade Fire Debut
James Franco can now add “appeared in an Arcade Fire video” to ever expanding resume. The James-of-all-trades opens the Canadian band’s promotional spot touting their new album “Reflektor” — directed by Roman Coppola no less — in a blazer slightly reminiscent of “A Night at the Roxbury.” Fellow member of the tribe Ben Stiller also…
The Latest
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‘The Neighbors’ Celebrate ‘Challoweenukah’
Shades of “Chrismukuh.” That’s the blended holiday celebrated by the blended Cohen family on the TV show, “The O.C.” But Challoweenukah? It’s the holiday that will be celebrated on the October 18 episode of “The Neighbors,” a show about blended peoples. When the Weaver family moved into the gated Hidden Hills development last season, they…
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Jewish Folklorist Dov Noy Dies at 92
A version of this post appeared in Yiddish here. When Dov Noy would lecture, often without notes, he would look upwards and seemingly draw his inspiration from the upper spheres. But Noy, who was expert in the folklore of numerous Jewish “tribes,” including Ashkenazim, Sephardim and Middle Eastern Jews, developed his profound knowledge from earthbound…
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Chief of the ‘Bad Jews’
Joshua Harmon applied for admission to the Juilliard School’s prestigious playwriting program three times. Three times he was told sorry, try again. On his fourth attempt, “Bad Jews” got him in. No, that’s not a reference to crooked admissions officers. “Bad Jews” is Harmon’s play about relatives battling over a special chai pendant that belonged…
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‘Girls,’ A Parody
As predicted, Tina Fey launched “Saturday Night Live“‘s 39th season with a bang: an amazing parody of “Girls.” The spoof of Lena Dunham’s hit HBO show (set to premiere its third season this year) starred Fey as a new arrival to the group of identity-starved Brooklyn twenty-somethings: Blerta, from Albania. Blerta strives to fit in…
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‘Waiting for Godot’ Reimagined as Yiddish Kvechathon
“I was told not to worry” Shane Baker, translator from English into Yiddish of Nobelist Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” confided post opening night of the New Jewish Rep and Castillo Theatre’s world premiere of “Vartn Af Godot.” “‘Godot in Yiddish? I barely understand it in English!’” Shane recalled a friend’s reaction. “Don’t worry, it…
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Philip Roth Awarded French Legion of Honor
American-Jewish author Philip Roth was awarded France’s highest honor, the Commander of the Legion of Honor. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius presented the award to Roth on Friday in New York. The award recognizes civilians and soldiers. Roth was promoted to commander, the French news agency AFP reported. “France is giving you back what you…
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Books How Do You Solve a Problem Like Chani Kaufmann?
Chani and Baruch are about to get married. In her heavy, layered dress, the sweat drips down the hollow of her back and collects in pools under her arms. She has never been kissed, never held a boy’s hand. As for Baruch, such is his panic that he cannot even remember Chani’s face, though they…
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Biggest Little Music Studio in Alabama
At first, Jerry Wexler (1917–2008) was bupkes. But eventually he became the king of the music biz and even coined the phrase, “rhythm and blues.” In the 1960s, he wanted in on the “Muscle Shoals Sound,” which was named for a small town in Alabama where hit records were coming out of Rick Hall’s FAME…
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