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David 1260's avatar

First of all, fuck the people who got indignant. They are the problem, not you, Celia. (And I'd love to read your experience of being trapped in the world of electronic communications.)

Second, this country is being gripped by a fake epidemic of anti-semitism. That term is being misused by Israel to suppress criticism of its horrific destruction of another people. It's a completely outrageous attack on the U.S. First Amendment. Some of the most active supporters of the Palestinians are Jews who are horrified by the immorality of fellow Jews. They are not antisemites. They hate what Israel is doing, as do I.

On the level of filmmaking, I criticize the editing of this film. There was a lot of very good material in this film, but the beginning was very slow. Also, having the interviewer off-camera didn't work, because he played an active role rather than a passive one. As a character, he needed to be seen.

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Celia Farber's avatar

David, I concur 100%

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Justin's avatar

I believe the ancient jews have a covenant promise that will come forth at a future time (oh, about the time when Christ returns and the entire world sees the marks in his hands and feet). But their nationalist pride (and horrors propogated based on that, and an abuse of their covenant position) will be a stain on them. Nevertheless, we have to be careful we don't let the emotional response overrun sensible and peaceful alternatives. There's is a lot of coordinated pressure being ratcheted up on Israel, and it's meant to unleash an all-out war. How does a nation respond when other nations keep "picking on them"? Militarily, I believe is appropriate if they're not provoking it themselves. They have a right to preserve themselves. If they are provoking it themselves, then they will bring upon themselves consequences they cannot control.

We have scriptural references (symbolic as all heck) regarding those who attack a covenant people. But they need to be acting in a covenant way as well. Be careful about being drawn into an emotional response to (quite likely) intentional and manufactured conflict.

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George Jacobs's avatar

David, add me to the list of concurrence. It is disgusting and horrifying how anti semitism is weaponized for blodgeoning opposition to the the holocaust being re-perpetrated. Even sadder is the persistent ancient belief that smiting your enemies is doing G-d's work to favor and protect the chosen people. ACIM says, "The holiest place on earth is where an ancient hatred has become a present love.".We pray for the manifestation of that possibility.

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Shona Duncan's avatar

I grew up loving the Jews then I found out how Israel treated a part of humanity because of their religion or demographics or because they are Arabs. Then my heart broke.

I feel guilty for blaming Jews for what Zionists do, but Israel does market itself as a "Jewish state" and I know many Jews disagree. Then I found out about the Sabbateans. I'll give you a video introduction and the book

1666 and the Dark Messiah Sabbatai Zevi - ROBERT SEPEHR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXsnLskb7pA&t=8s

there are plenty of other links to videos by Sepehr in the description.

We wont hear from you for days! This is fascinating stuff. They call themselves "Jewish" while committing heinous acts, giving all Jews a bad name.

1666 Redemption Through Sin: Global Conspiracy in History, Religion, Politics and Finance (2015) by Robert Sepehr (anthropologist)

https://archive.org/details/1666-redemption-through-sin-global-conspi-robert-sepehr

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Dale Peterson's avatar

Thank you so much for posting that! I happen to have a friend or Two, who is a Jewish comedian. I have no doubt that they would also appreciate that. As I may have said before, you are the best!

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rohjo's avatar

Just glancing at this post, perhaps without time to watch this doc, I say damn the torpedoes and post away. I'm not Jewish. I grew up with Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Mel Brooks, etc., etc, etc. Were they genocidal? I'm half German (American). Are my family and friends genocidal? The ignorant are easily corralled and fractured by history. To them, I say (in New Yorkese) "Give me a break!"

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Hesperado's avatar

I'm a Moderate Anti-Semite: I wouldn't put Paul Simon or Larry David on a train.

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Cat McGuire's avatar

This wonderful documentary of Jewish comedy thoroughly captures Jewish-American culture of a certain era. I disagree with many of the comics' ingrained socio-political interpretations of what it means to be Jewish, but that in no way diminishes their delivery of unvarnished wry observations about their people that few Gentile comedians then or now could match.

The film deftly honors a bygone, truly golden age of Jewish comedy — a time before on-high psychopathic accusations of antisemitism has boomeranged and tainted virtually all things Jewish.

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Celia Farber's avatar

Beautifully said Cat.

"The film deftly honors a bygone, truly golden age of Jewish comedy — a time before on-high psychopathic accusations of antisemitism has boomeranged and tainted virtually all things Jewish."

Many Jews feel Netanyahu is trying to destroy Judaism and also Israel itself.

Can't they oust him already?

Jewish comedy has also been what they used to call "subversive." It revolves around a compulsive, rhythmic, lamentation driven kind of truth telling. It's also, as the first woman comic to appear in the doc says, driven by the comedic oppressive MOTHER. They really should have included more women.

At 7 am, it had gotten light, my last thought was: "Email Cat and Colleen regarding Zoom Monday," but I passed out before I got to it.

I need to take a significant nap but my son canceled a plan tonight due to having a cold so I am free. I'll email you.

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iterating Roger W.'s avatar

Ouch! I'm sorry for that lashing. Disconnection, huh? It's a major paradox: it's so easy to communicate today, and yet so difficult!

Perhaps some people are more affected than others, but I think everyone notices how weird is it to be always "in contact" and not connecting.

But remember that you have done nothing wrong. You have warned many times that you often miss emails and other messages, which become invisible. And our zoom meetings are informal and non-periodical. IT's not a full feature, yet. We need a producer, and maybe some access control, because the subscribe only meetings is a good idea, but that requires some planning.

We could do one day a zoom call on the theme of trauma (no video recordings allowed, of course) but from a comedy perspective, or from a recovering perspective. In that Rosenberg seminar he is so funny in some points, and yet he is talking seriously to recovering people, who enjoy the comedy. I've watched that seminar seven times now. It's better than the book, honestly. Not very readable, at least for me.

So, yeah, no need to feel bad about this one. People who want to help should understand they expose themselves to a risk of disappointment.

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Celia Farber's avatar

Agent Miguel, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know you took to the Rosenberg video (Ohio Jew! Tough Ohio Jew. Beaten by his father. Look what he did with it.) And that you have watched it seven times. (!) I feel I have done some good in this world. Or maybe you found it elsewhere, but still. I have my friend Anna Powell to thank for sending me that video after a phone call in which she said it would change my life, around 2012 or 2013. I don't practice it too well, but it still is with me somewhere, and I try to "say the need."

Rosenberg is Jewish humor par excellence.

I seem to be turning into an anti-semite who won't yield on Jewish comedy? (Meant as joke.) (I had a Southern Jewish father, Lutheran, then Catholic, then converted to Judaism mother, who also had an excellent sense of humor.)

Jewish humor is definitely central to the American cultural identity.

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iterating Roger W.'s avatar

By the way, I watched Marx brothers films a few times, many years ago. I often say: everything you need to know about history and political thought is right there in “Duck Soup.” No one needs to dig as deep as Darryl Cooper. Just watch that movie three or four times.

Yeah, Jewish comedians have been greatly influential. I’m a fan of Peter Sellers and Gene Wilder, but those were not so influential as many others, more into political humor.

More recently, we have one Owen Benjamin (whose grandma was from Ukraine or Poland or something) and who has managed to have millions of people having fun with the flat earth comedy saga. Very influential artist. I don’t like him so much as other comedians, because I’m the snob who likes the more classic forms of comedy. Owen can be overbearing at times. His pal Dave Weiss is also a great comedian, greatly misunderstood.

And I consider Kubrick a huge comedy writer. People misunderstood his films. He belongs in the ranks of Jewish comedians. Gentiles are just too polite and too literally-minded. Jewish comedy is highly symbolic. Then, there is a big crash, or a slap, or some slips and falls, or an explosion. That’s when the symbols are dissolved by “reality” and the public is supposed to laugh.

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iterating Roger W.'s avatar

Marshall did a great job in his life, as it seems.

I was watching a few days ago a young female psychiatrist turned podcaster who pretends to be a recent convert to conservatism, because feminism has done so much damage to women (her patients). At least, I think she’s pretending. This psychiatrist was trying to make the case that sometimes it’s good for parents to restrain children or to hit them. I think she used an evolution-based pseudo-argument, like all other animals kinda beat their young some times. Then I realized: the new converts to conservatism are part of an evolution religion psyop, because no sane conservative person accepts to compare themselves with animals, or accept to learn how to educate their children from this poetic concept of “Mother Nature.”

No. That’s progressive mentality.

In reality, conservative-minded people understand that violence against children means that everything else was a mistake. You don’t have to force a child if he respects you and follows you and feels safe. So, the last resort is an admission of parenting failure. That’s impossible to explain using evolutionary thought, in my opinion.

Anyway, after watching that woman being an idiot on a podcast, I had to watch Rosenberg’s for the 7th time to remember what’s the right way, and why we have to say the need.

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Marilynne Mellander's avatar

Don't try to keep up...I purposely stay clear of all "devices" and the fast talking digital age creeps abounding all around us....empty Godless hunanoids....I listen to J. Vernon McGee's daily sermons, his Saturday Q&A and his Sunday Sermon to stay grounded and sane...

I don't even have any wireless, smart appliances, cell phone, smart electric and gas meter because we're surrounded by enough electrical soup as it is..I'll probably die before it gets too bad...and I believe I'll be in the presence of Jesus Christ and all the other believers AKA saints

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Dale Peterson's avatar

I still love your “Christian” joke.

A guy calls his mother and says mom I’m sorry I can’t make it for dinner tonight. And the mom says that’s OK.

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Mark Harris's avatar

Humans were terrible communicators long before the advent of smart phones. "It's estimated that around 50% of the marriages which began in 1970 ultimately ended in divorce."

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Justin's avatar

self-censoring, or not responding to goading prods by others?

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Marcus De Brun's avatar

Your phrase 'self censorship' really sums up what is happening when we express or even formulate an opinion. It's so strange now to be living in a world where a Jewish government is inflicting the same type of horror that was endured by so many Jewish people 80yrs ago. Humanity can be quite gross sometimes.

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Christopher Flett's avatar

Just watched part of this… it’s REALLY funny.

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Geoff Wexler's avatar

Deep thoughts from a Jew:

Are all my brethren who haven't come around on that lil Jesus topic anti-semitic because he's a fellow HeBro? In all seriousness, I only came around after starting reading the Bible from my 55 days in jail, Q1 2022 ongoing saga like Reiner. This article made me not take unanswered texts to your personal 🇺🇸📱personal. I'll watch the documentary and report back my Jew perspective. Since, I write a ton too, I appreciate edits, so take no offense in the title correction on "posited."

Love your work,

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Marla's avatar

Why are Jews the only group that is both a religion and a multi-racial identity all thrown into one pot?

Ashkenazis are not related to Sephardi; are not Semitic. And how can you be Jewish if you do not follow the religion?

Also, I see this so called Jewish humor as being a Yiddish, more east coast US urban development. Would this humor be found in Spain’s Sephardic community?

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Billy Thistle's avatar

I believe Jews have reached a tipping point which sentiment is expressed in a couple of places in the film. They've won. They can feel safe in the Western World in middle class surroundings. But in achieving a sense of security, the illusion that they will soon be attacked by their gentile neighbors becomes unsupportable despite the tireless efforts of Jewish orgs like the ADL. Without existential insecurity the tribal bond w/ its cultural traits like edgy humor weaken and w/in a generation or two will be cast off. I'll miss the humor, but little else. Let them join humanity and be done w/ the insanity.

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