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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Coen Brothers’ ‘Fargo’ Coming to TV
It’s not the first time the Coen Brothers’ “Fargo,” has been adapted for the small screen. In 1997, a year after the movie was released, a pilot starring Edie Falco was shot, directed by Kathy Bates. That project never got off the ground, but now it looks like “Fargo” will be a TV show after…
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George Soros’ Ex Sued Again
Things are not going well for Adriana Ferreyr. Even as she remains embroiled in a legal battle with ex-lover George Soros, the Brazilian former soap star is being sued again. Kyle Dubensky, a Columbia University theater student, is suing Ferreyr for $5 million, claiming that she falsely accused him of raping her on New Year’s…
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Pesach in 140 Characters
Now that you’ve somehow managed to digest all that Seder matzo, it’s time to re-live it all through the eyes of the rich and famous. Some were early: With Passover about to start abroad I want to wish all of you celebrating a happy and healthy Pesach! ampmdash; William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 24, 2013 Signing…
The Latest
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Jeremy Piven on Ari Gold and ‘Mr. Selfridge’
Jeremy Piven has had a long and successful career. Now he can add “distinguished” to those adjectives. Piven’s first break came in 1992 when he played Jerry, the head writer on “The Larry Sanders Show.” But his breakthrough role was manipulative agent Ari Gold, based on real-life agent Ari Emanuel, on “Entourage.” Over the course…
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Marriage Equality Logos Get Jewish Twist
As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, Facebook users are seeing red. Gay marriage advocates are ditching their regular profile photos on the social networking site in favor of the Human Rights Campaign’s red equals sign. The image has spawned numerous variations around the web — and some have…
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What I Learned About Anxiety From ‘Girls’
Earlier this month, HBO’s “Girls” ended its second season with Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) incapacitated by anxiety-induced Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, her ebook on the lost generation of 20-somethings looking more and more unlikely; I read the first few chapters of Phillip Lopate’s new book “To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction” and…
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Haunted by the Specter of Phil Spector
Just about any moment in Phil Spector’s life could be made into a captivating movie: the years when he invented the Wall of Sound, wrote some of the greatest, most successful songs of all time, and turned the anonymous record producer into an artist, even a visionary; the time he spent with George Harrison and…
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Peter Yarrow and Stav Shaffir Sing Bob Dylan
How many Jews does it take to wish you Happy Passover? Apparently, at least three. Watch Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul and Mary team up with Knesset member Stav Shaffir to wish you a Chag Sameach with Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In the Wind.”
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4 Coolest Passover Videos for Your Seder
Sesame Street, Macklemore, animation, leopard-print coats… Everything is better with a Passover theme. To fill the gaps between the Four Questions and the Ten Plagues, here are some Passover videos that’ll have your whole family talking – or not. 1. Passover Story: The Animated Kids Version Move over, Rugrats! The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family…
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On Lou Reed’s birthday, remembering his epic Seder
Editor’s note: Lou Reed would have turned 79 on March 2, 2021. In honor of him and the upcoming holiday we have republished this piece, which first appeared in March of 2013, about the singer-songwriter’s historic “Downtown Seder.” Lou Reed is standing in front of a room full of Jews on Varick Street on a…
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Phil Spector, By Way of Al Pacino and David Mamet
Phil Spector’s life could be summed up in four words — musical genius, eccentric and murderer. Playwright David Mamet’s HBO film “Phil Spector,” which airs March 24, makes the most of all of them but his take on the 2007 murder trial of the record producer has split opinion as much as the crime itself….
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