For better or worse, the entertainment of a period reflects the culture and values of the audience, the team behind the scenes, and the performers.
Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment was published earlier this year. Written by Rhae Lynn Barnes, the book explores the history of blackface in America. It is a comprehensive exploration of this character type and how it became part of the pop culture landscape for several generations. She also talks about the slow fade from acceptance to general disapproval in the last half of the 20th century.
The most interesting fact (which makes a lot of sense) is that both Jewish Americans and Japanese Americans (specifically in the internment camps) both put on blackface. Looking back, it is easy to see how they were trying to show how “American” they were while discrediting their darker-skinned neighbors.
Do I recommend it? Yes. It is a must read.
Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment is available wherever books are sold.
In a sense, I consider myself to be lucky. I am the descendant of Eastern European Jews who immigrated to America long before World War II. All four of my grandparents were born in this country, saved from the fires of the Shoah by the decisions of their forebears. Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, I was fully aware of antisemitism. It was always there, but not at the level that it is today. Coming of age in and around New York City, I felt (relatively) safe as a Jew. I did not need to hide or deny who I was.
I also consider myself unlucky. On my mother’s maternal line, the names of the relatives who were murdered are well documented. Her grandfather’s 1980 memoir, Dobromil, is dedicated to the memory of his father, his siblings, and their families. The final lines of the page state that the book is also dedicated to my late grandmother and her siblings, who are listed as the surviving grandchildren in America.
A few years ago, the Museum of Jewish Heritage of New York City hosted an exhibit entitled Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away. The purpose of the exhibit was to accentuate that the Holocaust did not start with mass graves, ghettos, and concentration camps. It began with words, stereotypes, and open Jew-hate.
Since October 7th, the rug has been pulled out from under the Jewish community as a whole. Those who might have quietly discriminated against us in the past now feel free to do it openly. The basic trend goes down one of two paths: be open and proud, and potentially lose friends, relationships, and educational/professional opportunities. The other is to remain silent or join the other side in hopes of keeping the wolves at bay. One of the hard truths of the Holocaust (and 10/7) is that it did not matter how religious one was, how they identified, or their opinion on any number of topics. The only visible thing was the physical and proverbial yellow star.
My grandfather, Rabbi Baruch Poupko, used to say: “We know how many adults, women, and children died in the Holocaust. We know how many died in every camp. What we do not know is how many Rabbi Soloveitchik’s, Rabbi Chaim Brisker’s, Albert Einsteins, Chaim Weitzman, David Ben… pic.twitter.com/Q1A5jRY6Rz
The only thing I would add to this list is how many RBGs, Barbra Streisands, Emma Goldmans, etc., were lost even before they could start to live?
I am a firm believer in freedom of speech. But there is a stark difference between speaking one’s opinion and yelling fire in a crowded theater. The fact is that we, as a people, are being censored, both by our own choice and by outside actors. The only way to stop this madness is for a collective “no” to hate to be heard around the world. But for that to happen, we have to stop self-censoring ourselves, be loud, and rejoice in our history. Which is always easier said than done.
My play, Ruth’s Story, will have its premiere on Friday. I can’t think of a better way to honor the victims and the survivors than to tell their story.
My wish for this Passover for the Iranian people to be free. To be able to live how they want, dress how they want, pray how they want, choose their own government, etc.
To those celebrating later in the week, may you have a joyous seder.
Alternative history is fascinating. It asks “what if?” while reminding the audience of what was.
Hunters premiered in 2020 on Amazon Prime and ran for two seasons. In 1977 in Brooklyn, Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman) is a young man living with his grandmother Ruth (Jeannie Berlin). After she is murdered, he is approached by Meyer Hoffman (Al Pacino). Meyer is an old friend who was in the camps with Ruth.
Meyer is the leader of a diverse underground group whose goal is to undermine Operation Paperclip and prevent the Fourth Reich from taking power in the US. Jonah eagerly signs up to avenge his grandmother’s death and protect his country from a potential Nazi takeover.
I enjoyed this series. Produced by Jordan Peele, it feels like a companion piece to Inglorious Basterds. It is bloody, violent, and enjoyable. Though some episodes did drag on a little, it is, overall, an enjoyable series. Pacino’s accent feels authentic without bordering on being a caricature.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
Huntersis availablefor streamingon Netflix.
P.S. There is a Yiddish cover of “Milkshake” that makes me happy beyond reason.
The story of Purim (like most Jewish holidays) can be boiled down to a single line: Someone tried to unalive us. They are gone. We are still here.
Humans, by nature, are both logical and illogical. We still believe the lies about minorities, despite what science and nature tell us. If a certain people have been around for thousands of years, despite the constant discrimination and hatred, perhaps we should be learning from them instead of repeating the actions of previous generations.
To those who are celebrating tonight, Happy Purim.
As bad as a breakup is, it can also be a new opportunity to start over.
Someone Great was released in 2019. Jenny Young (Gina Rodriguez) is a music journalist who is about to leave NYC for a job in San Francisco. On the heels of her breakup with her long-time boyfriend, Nate Davis (LaKeith Stanfield), Jenny is determined to have one last hurrah with her friends. Blair Helms (Brittany Snow) and Erin Kennedy (DeWanda Wise) are more than up for adventure before they lose Jenny to California.
I liked the idea of this film. It’s more than her relationship with Nate. It’s about the bonds with her besties, even when they are in different time zones. The problem is that the narrative tapered off quickly, and I was no longer interested in the story. Though I did appreciate the diverse cast, which is still too infrequent in our culture.
Do I recommend it? No.
Someone Great is available for streaming on Netflix.
P.S. I don’t know what’s worse about the current administration: POTUS or those around him. Either they have drunk the Kool-Aid, or they have turned a blind eye just to stay in power.
There was a time where I wouldn't have felt like I had to make a post pointing out that this is wrong. pic.twitter.com/9xiph5F9hD
We love the IPs from our childhood because they remind us of simpler times (and hopefully happier ones).
The Muppet Show returned to our screens last week, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the OG program and returning to the tried-and-true formula that made it a hit back in the day. Sabrina Carpenter is the guest star and is backed up by cameos from Maya Rudolph and Seth Rogen (who is one of the Executive Producers).
The smartest thing that the creative team did was to retain the original staging and the variety show format. It is a perfect time capsule that still remains relevant to modern audiences.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
The Muppet Show is available for streaming on DisneyPlus.
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