I could talk about how I quit my job this week, how I got a book deal to write about the Jewish holidays (Plotz stylee!), or I could happily wax about the impending Plotz retrospective at the Philadelphia Jewish Museum in April. All of those things are really very, very exciting.
But what I chose to talk about is... that Madonna video! What is that meshuggeneh doing?! I give her props for lots of stuff. And sure, I've come to the conclusion that it's not a terrible thing for someone not born Jewish to take pride in our culture -- because frankly, we surely can't do it for ourselves. But must we have to look at schmaltzy media icons for that whole mishpucah? I don't blame her for any of that. Kine ahora, I say. G-d bless. But The Donna does a video for a facockamamie James Bond remake with a Hebrew word tattooed (ironic, or what?) on her upper arm, I have to quote the TV show Blossom and say, whoa. Then when the action turns to her being tortured by Nazi-like thugs (mind you, this is all in a 3 minute music video!) who sit her tuchis down in the electric chair, I have to go, dang it. Then, when she ties herself off with tefillin, I have to implode and say-- whatyoutalkinaboutwillis?
Sure, the Jewish religion is open to those who want to study it, but when someone like Madonna assumes the role of being persecuted as a Jew, it really gets my knish in a twist. Must she appropriate everything? (Why can't she use her power for GOOD?!) Honestly, I liked her better when she thought she was of Indian origin.
But what I chose to talk about is... that Madonna video! What is that meshuggeneh doing?! I give her props for lots of stuff. And sure, I've come to the conclusion that it's not a terrible thing for someone not born Jewish to take pride in our culture -- because frankly, we surely can't do it for ourselves. But must we have to look at schmaltzy media icons for that whole mishpucah? I don't blame her for any of that. Kine ahora, I say. G-d bless. But The Donna does a video for a facockamamie James Bond remake with a Hebrew word tattooed (ironic, or what?) on her upper arm, I have to quote the TV show Blossom and say, whoa. Then when the action turns to her being tortured by Nazi-like thugs (mind you, this is all in a 3 minute music video!) who sit her tuchis down in the electric chair, I have to go, dang it. Then, when she ties herself off with tefillin, I have to implode and say-- whatyoutalkinaboutwillis?
Sure, the Jewish religion is open to those who want to study it, but when someone like Madonna assumes the role of being persecuted as a Jew, it really gets my knish in a twist. Must she appropriate everything? (Why can't she use her power for GOOD?!) Honestly, I liked her better when she thought she was of Indian origin.
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