Hollywood Jew

August 13, 2008

Bob Saget: Clean-cut and filthy (uncensored version) [VIDEOS]

" . . . Bob is particularly funny because he has this dual, schizophrenic reputation from the G-rated family shows to the X-rated stand-up show . . ."

Featured

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Bob Saget: Clean-cut and filthy (G-rated version)

". . . Bob is particularly funny because he has this dual, schizophrenic reputation from the G-rated family shows to the X-rated stand-up show . . ."

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

‘24’ producer Howard Gordon : Our only politics is to have an exciting show

" . . .We had a visit from a high-ranking West Point officer, who said that his cadets were not only great fans of our show but were actually taking their cues from Jack Bauer. That was very disconcerting . . ."

Latest

Monday, August 4, 2008

VIDEO: Woody Allen and the Jewish robots (from ‘Sleeper’)

Woody Allen is fitted for a new suit by robot Jewish tailors. Ginsberg & Cohen, Computerized Fittings, Since 2073. From 'Sleeper'

Carter as Esther ReubenWednesday, July 30, 2008

Helena Bonham Carter—Jewish mother?

"I had not 'done' Jewish before," Helena Bonham Carter said breezily of why she chose to play a Jewish character in Paul Weiland's semi-autobiographical film, "Sixty Six."

Director Isabel Coixet on the set of "Elegy"Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Waxing (Philip) Roth

I decided to watch every film adapted from Philip Roth's work. My mission started simply enough: a search on imdb.com turned up eight works on film and TV, stretching back to the 1950s. Some had never been released on video, some are only in VHS, some were available at the local video store, some had to be tracked down in specialty shops or in university or museum archives. My quest led me across Los Angeles and afforded me the pleasure of visiting some of the city's most beautiful libraries and research facilities, as well as some of its best-stocked video stores.

Jamie MasadaWednesday, July 23, 2008

The costliest word in show business . . . the 'N-word' [VIDEO]

Jamie Masada of the Laugh Factory on Sunset says Jesse Jackson owes $50 to the Museum of Tolerance for using the 'N-word' on TV

Sherry Lansing
Photo by S.Smith PatrickĀ Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Sherry Lansing’s epiphany

"Suddenly, I cared less about a hit movie or making money than I did about giving back. That was the legacy that I wanted," Lansing said.

Irv Weintraub
Photo by Dan KacvinskiWednesday, July 16, 2008

Q&A with showbiz power broker Irv Weintraub:  Why doesn’t Hollywood give Jewish?

" . . . We have one thing that's not happening now that happened then, which was the memory of the Holocaust. We are 50-plus years removed. The urgency that existed then doesn't exist today. The Federation campaign did better with Lou Wasserman -- people didn't tell him no. There isn't that iconic person like Lou who is willing to be identified publicly with their Judaism . . ."

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tales from the crib: Jolie’s Jewish ob-gyn speaks

Angelina Jolie brought her twins into the world on Shabbat. That fact may have been overlooked last Saturday by the thousands of media outlets covering the birth, which took place at Lenval Hospital's Santa Maria Clinic. But the timing did not escape Dr. Michel Sussmann, Jolie's Jewish obstetrician.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Michael Ross—who got Sammy Davis to kiss Archie Bunker—donates milions for Jewish studies

Michael Ross, the former producer of and writer for iconic American sitcoms "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons" and "Three's Company," has given some $14 million to create Jewish studies programs at UCLA and City College of New York in recent months.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

AUDIO: Norman Corwin, Radio Zionist—‘Tel Aviv’ (1944)

In 1944, CBS broadcasts a 30-minute program about Tel Aviv on 'Columbia Presents Corwin'. The program begins as a young editor Douglas Adams flies from Cairo to Tel Aviv, and we meet the lovely R.A.F. Leftenant Aviva Har-Zahav . . .

Danny Sussman
Photo: Backstage.comFriday, July 11, 2008

The industry, Israel and idealism with Danny Sussman

"To be a good talent representative that's part of the entertainment community and a productive citizen, you need to feel part of something larger than yourself," he said. He speaks in whips, charging the room like a bulldozer, imparting us with his wisdom, interspersing the F-word here and there for dramatic effect.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Kabbalah blamed for A-Rod marital breakup

A former trainer for Alex Rodriguez said the star ballplayer's interest in Kabbalah caused the break-up of his marriage.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

AUDIO: Al Jolson stars as ‘The Jazz Singer’—Lux Radio Theatre 1947

In this June 1947 production, Al Jolson reprises his most famous silver screen role as "The Jazz Singer."

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Kaddish for Carlin

Everybody keeps asking me whether George Carlin was Jewish. "I heard he was related to the Karlin-Stoliner rebbe," a colleague said.

Brooks ArthurWednesday, June 18, 2008

Brooks Arthur brings stars’ hearts and humor to ‘Jewish Songbook’ CD

Music producer Brooks Arthur turns nostalgic with a new CD of classic Jewish music

John Turturro, left, Adam Sandler and Emmanuelle Chriqui in "You Don't Mess With the Zohan." Photo by Tracy Bennett/Columbia PicturesThursday, June 12, 2008

Sandler and the Zohan

As to whether "Zohan" will advance the cause of peace in the Middle East and increase regard for Israel and Israelis in the world at large, even as Israel itself celebrates its 60th anniversary, that's hard to say

Teresa Strasser tries on her sister-in-law's wedding gownThursday, June 12, 2008

The dress, the ring, the registry and the rest

This moment that is supposed to be about eternal union is more about capturing eternal beauty in a photo that's going to be mounted in the living room so everyone can silently think, "Man, she used to be a lot thinner."

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Israel Film Fest to honor ‘Meathead,’ ‘Alan Brady’

L-R: Messrs. Smigel, Apatow, SandlerThursday, June 5, 2008

Balancing humor and current events in ‘Zohan’ proved to be a struggle for Smigel

A New York native, Robert Smigel said he never really planned to become a writer. After failing as a pre-dental student, Smigel moved on to writing and performing improv in Chicago for the Players Workshop of The Second City, where he met fellow "SNL" writers Conan O'Brien and Bob Odenkirk.


Featured Stories

Food
Eating Bambi (recipe included)

Most of the anti-Semitic mail I get these days doesn't concern Israel, Hollywood or even the threat of a nuclear war in the Middle East -- it's about meat.

Music
Jazzman Frishberg charts own tuneful territory

One of the great joys of L.A. jazz, from the mid-1970s to the mid-'80s, was the blossoming of jazz pianist Dave Frishberg into a singer-songwriter of quirky, yet warmly satisfying, material.

Torah Portion
How to comfort and be comforted

Parshat Vaetchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) God tells Moses that although he's faithfully led His people through the desert these past 40 years, and although the Jews are now standing at the very border of the Holy Land, Moses himself will never be allowed entry, and will die and

Religion
Randy Pausch’s last lecture links morality and purpose

"Brick walls are there for a reason," wrote the late Dr. Randy Pausch, author of the best-selling book, "The Last Lecture."

Opinion
The Great Awakening

The Rev. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church will hold back-to-back public conversations this Saturday, Aug. 16, with the two presumptive presidential
candidates, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. The conversations, on the topic of "Compassion and Leadership," will be