January 28, 2009 | 8:39 pm

Teresa Strasser Shines…and Bows to Robin Quivers

Posted by Rob Eshman

Teresa Strasser

Teresa Strasser loves her husband, her job, writing, recovery and Robin Quivers.  That’s the gist of what she tells LAist.com in a full-length interview today.

Strasser is the co-host of the morning drive time Adam Carolla Show on KLSX-FM 97.1.  She’s also an on-air personality for the TV Guide channel.  And she’s also a long-time, award-winning and very very popular columnist for The Jewish Journal and jewishjournal.com.  Her most recent piece for The Jewish Journal appeared last week, about her mano a mano confrontation with everyone’s favorite Jew-baiter, Pat Buchanan.

So, LAist asks, what does she like best: radio, TV or writing?  Teresa responds:

I think that writing is the thing I’m best at doing, but I haven’t really figured out a way yet to make a living doing that. When you hear about the ninth lead on the West Wing buying a house in the Hollywood Hills, and I’m getting $200 for a piece in the LA Times…

I think writing is the only one of those three where I have a knack. I’m not the fanciest writer, but I think I’m able to be honest. When I’m editing a piece, I think how can this be more true? There’s something to be said for that even though my prose is pretty mediocre.

The interview is typical Teresa: literate, funny, honest and surprising.  She talks about coming out as being in recovery for an eating disorder, about feeding the “Lion’s Mouth” that is Adam Carolla, and about which people and pieces she loves most.

And she very graciously takes time to acknowledge her debt to that other morning co-host, Robin Quivers.  Strasser credits Quivers, of The Howard Stern Show, with perfecting the role of the female radio sidekick, and tells LAist that whenever she’s unsure of what to do9, she asks herself, “WWRQD?”—What would Robin Quivers Do?

In Malcolm’s Gladwell’s book Outliers, he talks about needing 10,000 hours to master anything—chess, cello, computer programming. Robin probably started with a natural gift for radio, and has probably doubled those 10,000 hours of air time. To me, she’s a master—smooth, tough, seemingly impervious to douchebag callers who give her shit, and excellent at picking news stories that fit her show.

Sometimes, people ask themselves, WWJD, What Would Jesus Do? Occasionally, I ask myself WWRD? I look forward to having the kind of ease and experience she brings.

Congrats Teresa!  When’s your next piece?

More on Teresa Strasser
More Jewish Journal pieces on Howard Stern, including an exclusive interview with his oldest daughter.

January 28, 2009 | 4:39 pm

Who should replace John Fishel?

Posted by Rob Eshman

Who do you think should replace John Fishel?

The president and CEO of the Jewish Federation holds one of the most powerful and important roles in the Jewish community.  The Federation president oversees the largest budget and staff of any Los Angeles Jewish institution and has the power to set an agenda and benefit the lives of Jews and non-Jews here, in Israel and around the world.

Is there someone you think could step into the job and inspire and revolutionize the Los Angeles Jewish community?  What are the most important qualities the Federation’s board should be looking for?  A superior fundraiser?  A visionary thinker?  A charismatic leader?  Should he or she come from the Jewish professional world? Hollywood?  The corporate world?

Don’t be shy—tell us what you want in the next Federation president, and send some names in too. Your ideas and suggestions will find their way into our coverage, with attribution if you desire.  The Jewish Journal is not affiliated with the Federation (or any Jewish organization), but we all have a stake in the selection.

Send to editor@jewishjournal.com. Subject line:President.

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January 4, 2009 | 4:51 am

Dangerous memes: When ideas can kill [VIDEO]

Posted by The Web Guy

Philosopher Daniel Dennett says ideas can live and evolve just like living organisms—for better or for worse.  (Dennett is the author of one of my favorite books “Conciousness Explained.”)

These living, evolving ideas are called memes.

Some memes turn into dangerous ideological organisms. 

In this video, Dennett asserts that several memes require—or maybe a better word is ‘demand’—

* Freedom

* Jihad

* Justice

* Communism

* Capitalism

Is there an ‘idea’ that you would die for?

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January 2, 2009 | 3:42 pm

Hamas hate at two Irvine synagogues, picketers on Wilshire [VIDEO]

Posted by Tom Tugend

Police in Irvine are investigating as hate crimes the posting of anti-Israel and pro-Hamas posters at two synagogues.

Three letter-sized, hand-written signs were discovered Tuesday (12/30) at Beth Jacob, an Orthodox congregation. One poster proclaimed “Gaza—The
New Shoah” and a second, “Hamas Recognizes Israeli Genocide.”

Similar posters were found on the same day at the nearby Reform Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot.

Kevin O’Grady, Orange County regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, condemned the “targeting of temples to express anger toward Israeli
action in Gaza.”

VideoJew Jay Firestone was at the dueling demonstrations in front of the Israel Consulate on Wilshire Blvd. Tuesday night and filed this report:

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