Egyptian actors, told they were on Israel TV, turn violent [VIDEO]

Published on July 24, 2012

Egyptian actors on a hidden camera television show reacted violently upon being told they were being aired on an Israeli TV channel.

Adam Sandler proposes wife swap with Tom Cruise

By Lauren Bottner
Published on November 10, 2011

Actors play doctor in Israel during week-long tour

By Hollywood Jew
Published on June 20, 2011

My evening at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honoring “Hot in Cleveland”

By Julia Bendis
Published on March 31, 2011

Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes

By Julia Bendis
Published on January 19, 2011

Schwarzenegger making play dates with Medvedev

By Julia Bendis
Published on January 14, 2011

VideoGuide to L.A. - Volume 4 - The Hollywood Dream

By Jay Firestone
Published on October 23, 2008

The Industry, Israel and Idealism with Danny Sussman

By Orit Arfa
Published on July 11, 2008

Einstein’s allure is more than theory on stage

By Tom Tugend
Published on April 10, 2008

We think of Albert Einstein, and we conjure up the image of a frail, unkempt and absent-minded old man, but a visit to the Einstein archives at Caltech provides quite another picture.

The man who radically transformed our understanding of the universe was adored by women, at 23 fathered an illegitimate child and after marriage had a few side flings with other women.

Theater: A generation’s history, one life at time

By Laurel Ollstein
Published on April 3, 2008

"Showing Our Age" is a play about stories, and the fact that everyone has one. It's a project that I started more than 10 years ago, though not specifically as an idea for a play. I was a participant in a community outreach program in which we interviewed senior citizens, used their remarkable life stories to write monologues and then performed them for the seniors and their families. The simplicity of just the details of a life -- without sets or costumes -- created some of the most powerful theater I had ever been involved with. And I have been involved in theater for a very long time, as an actress, writer, director and teacher. I wanted more! I wanted to take this idea and expand it.

Theater: Updated ‘Anne Frank’ production shows harder side, and tears

By Ivor Davis
Published on March 22, 2007

Theater: The Catskills, a sonata mit a tvist

By Tom Tugend
Published on March 15, 2007

Question: What's vodka and orange juice?

Answer: A drink invented by communists living in Florida.

Persian Jews break with tradition to break through in Hollywood

By Karmel Melamed
Published on February 22, 2007

Whether it's producing Oscar-winning films, appearing on prime-time network television series or performing stand-up comedy, young Jews of Iranian heritage have been breaking with their community's traditional norms and leaving their imprint on Hollywood.

Thrown For A Loop

By Avi Liberman
Published on July 19, 2006

Looping is plugging in background sound for movies after they are shot so they sound more realistic. I had done some looping sessions before, but they were all in English. While this movie was also in English, there were plenty of scenes with Hebrew and Arabic in them. My Hebrew is far from perfect, but I can still pull off the Israeli accent so I was pretty sure I could do the job.

‘Hybrid’ Actor Crafts ‘Everyman’ Show

By Robert David Jaffee
Published on April 13, 2006

Ameenah Kaplan, who calls herself a "hybrid" -- the product of an African American mother who converted to Judaism and a Jewish father -- is directing, choreographing and co-producing "Everyman for Himself." Appearing weekends at the Unknown Theatre in Hollywood, the show is a hybrid itself, in that it blends music, dance, theater and capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian dance form that incorporates self-defense maneuvers.

Writer Kaufman Brings Offbeat to Stage

By Susan Josephs
Published on September 1, 2005

During the period he lived in New York and worked odd jobs, Charlie Kaufman once had a conversation with a colleague about Jews and height.

One Voice Gets Alexander’s Vote

By Dina Kraft
Published on February 26, 2004

For Jason Alexander, best known as Jerry Seinfeld's hapless sidekick, George Costanza, a grass-roots peace initiative to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace is more than just "yadda yadda yadda."

‘House’ of Oscar Fever

By Tom Tugend
Published on January 29, 2004

Jewish talent and themes scored only modestly in the Oscar nominations announced Tuesday.
However, there was recognition for the critically acclaimed "House of Sand and Fog" by Vadim Perelman, a 39-year old native of Kiev, in his first feature film.

My Parents, Magic Makers

By Stephanie Waxman
Published on June 26, 2003

When I was young, my brother and I were trained to enter our house through the back door because, in all probability on a Wednesday afternoon, a rehearsal was taking place in the large living room of our Burbank house.

A State of ‘Jewtopia’

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on May 15, 2003

We're nice Jewish boys who love our mothers," Sam Wolfson said. "We don't mean any harm," said his pal, Bryan Fogel.

Wolfson and Fogel feel nervous because they've written and are starring in an irreverent play, "Jewtopia," about a Jew who dislikes Jewish women (Wolfson), and a non-Jew who adores them (Fogel). They've included over-the-top riffs on clichés such as theme bar mitzvahs, cheesy Purim carnivals, JAPS and the politically incorrect word, shvartze. They say they intended to humorously but lovingly exploit Jewish stereotypes the way plays like "Nunsense" exploit Catholic ones -- but they're aware viewers could take offense.

Chabad rocks!

By Michael Aushenker
Published on September 5, 2002

Chabad of California's 22nd annual "L'Chaim to Life Telethon," hosted by Dennis Prager, was humming along nicely with a long roster of talent that included classic actors James Caan and Elliott Gould, comic actor Dom DeLuise and Israeli singer David "Dudu" Fisher. Then 10:30 p.m. rolls around and the KCET soundstage -- where the telethon is broadcast -- went amok. Enter the Sand Man.

The Problem With Julie

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on August 29, 2002

Like the know-it-all self-help guru in her neurotic comedy, "Amy's Orgasm," 28-year-old filmmaker Julie Davis had never had what you'd call an actual boyfriend back in 1998. But she liked to dish out relationship advice. "I had all these theories," says the effervescent writer-director, whose debut film, "I Love You, Don't Touch Me," featured a 25-year-old virgin holding out for Mr. Right. "Like, 'save yourself for the one,' and 'a woman doesn't need a man to feel complete.'"

A Century of Strasberg

By Tom Tugend
Published on November 23, 2000

The man who introduced "method acting" to America and taught the likes of Paul Newman, Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, John Garfield, Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro and hundreds of other luminaries, was born Israel Lee Strassberg in the Polish part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Uncle Vanya’ Hits Sour Note; ‘Amadeus’ in Perfect Harmony

By Gene Lichtenstein
Published on October 14, 1999

‘The Threepenny Opera’ Exceeds Its Grasp

Published on May 1, 1997

In its five years of existence, A Noise Within, the classical-theater company, has given audiences many of the most enjoyable performances to be offered anywhere in Los Angeles.