January 4th, 2007 → 11:36 am @ Seth Mnookin
Duh: the Jews! What’s more, they’re funnier. Woody Allen, of course, exhibits both qualities in spades, as does David Rakoff (who also gives proof that head shots have little to do with reality: Rakoff is folically challenged and most certainly does not have that funny-looking, quasi-rakish cowlick). For the last week or so, Rakoff has been blogging about the Film Forum’s Woody Allen extravaganza (only one week left, folks!) on Nextbook, which officially bills itself as a “gateway to Jewish literature, culture, and ideas” but in reality is not nearly so stodgy.
So check it out (it’s not Joel Pineiro is exciting enough to occupy your time). I guarantee you’ll laugh out loud at least once per post. To wit: “The best example of GVMS {Gerontological Volume Maladjustment Syndrome} occurred when my friends Joel and Kate were in grad school in Ann Arbor. They went to a midday showing of Damage. The man of the aged couple behind them couldn’t hear, asking his wife what Miranda Richardson had just said. The wife responded without preamble, yelling loudly to the entire theater, ‘Fuck me, Peter!'” (That was worked into a post on “Wild Man Blues” and “Sweet and Lowdown,” as was this gem of a one-liner: “There’s a psychological term for this kind of self-deprecation: Mom.”) Now the next time Rakoff is a guest on the Daily Show you’ll be able to impress your friends by working in a comment about his views on “Hannah and Her Sisters.” Or impress your cat. Same difference.
Post Categories: Making flippy floppy & Rahm Emanuel & Steve Phillips
November 28th, 2006 → 8:50 pm @ Seth Mnookin
Last night Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel — who’s vying with his brother for the mantle of the pushiest Emanuel — turned in a squeamishly embarrassing performance on the Daily Show. The gem of the evening came when Emanuel joined the Christian Action Network, the National Enquirer, and Ed Klein in insinuating or claiming that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian. At the end of Emanuel’s extended (and tortured) riff about Bush’s attempts to compare himself with FDR, Stewart joked that the Democrats’ plan seemed to be exhuming the 32nd president, to which Emanuel replied:
“Well, Hillary’s helping us with the Eleanor part.”
Classy! Even Stewart seemed taken aback; he quickly told Emanuel to “settle down.” (You can watch the clip for yourself; Emanuel’s quote comes with about 25 second remaining in the first excerpt.) If there’s one thing that can help the Republicans overcome Bush’s 32 percent job approval rating, it’s nasty infighting among the Democrats!
* As several readers have pointed out, it’s possible that Rahm was simply making fun of the decade-old stories about Hillary channeling Eleanor from the White House, for which Hillary endured a whole boatload of mockery. If that was Rahm’s intention, he’s a crappy comedian and isn’t good at drawing parallels: if you actually exhumed FDR, he’d need a real-life wife, not some silly old spirit! Either way, it’s a good thing the junior senator from New York took Eleanor’s advice and grew “skin as thick as a rhinoceros”…because she’s getting love from every corner.
Post Categories: Democrats & Hillary Clinton & Rahm Emanuel
