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Thursday, February 23, 2006

Funny Media Leftists -- The Joke's on them this time.


The vast majority of Israeli entertainers fall to the left side of the political spectrum...which means that the media/entertainment industry's portrayal of Right Wing Jews, Settlers, and Religious Jews are often stereotyped to the point of nastiness.

It's common to see audiences laughing at settlers and religious characters on Israeli TV "entertainment" shows, as they are commonly depicted with an underlying anger that's very unsettling.

I can get laughed at for the sake of good natured humor (Mrs. @ The Muqata: I'm getting better, don't you think? I could laugh at myself for the way I was portrayed in our community Purim plays last year ;-)

I'ts good to see that once in a while, the media entertainment industry gets hit back and held responsible for their actions. Last year, when Hevron activist Noam Federman was being held in administrative detention, a pair of Israeli crass jokers, "Shai and Dror" called up Federman's 12 year old daughter and harassed her on air, and proceeded to tease her, to laugh at her name and denounce her father...all in the name of their "funny" radio show.

(Federman was later released with no charges brought against him, and he even sued the State and won for false imprisonment).

Federman then sued Shai and Dror for harassment, and settled out of court for NIS 22,625.

Federman said in response that "the time has come for journalists to learn that there are limits that must not be crossed. There is a limit to everything, and those who cross the line should be forced to pay out of their own pockets." "I would like to thank them for paying for my daughter's wedding," he added.

Tel Aviv Radio General Manager Eva Madjiboj said in response: "We have claimed all along that we caused no damage whatsoever to Noam Federman or his family. We continue to believe this." "For practical reasons alone, and in order to spare his 14-year-old daughter from the trauma of cross-examination on the witness stand, we decided to go easy on her and to close the case with a symbolic payout," she added.

Its unfortunate that Tel Aviv radio's Eva Madjiboj still sees no problem in harassing 12 year old girls (as long as they are right wing and religious), and her empathy to prevent Federman's daughter from having to testify is pathetic.

Even her comments contradict themselves; "we caused no damage whatsoever to Noam Federman or his family"...so why would it be "traumatic" for Federman's daughter to be cross examined?

Are you a religious or right wing comedian? Let us know - we'll pay for you to make aliya to help offset the drek we currently have...

Hey, if I franchise MuqataMart (tm) ATM pizzas in the US, maybe I would have enough to do my own entertainment shows here.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

24 comments:

  1. There are enough right-wing comedians in the Kenesset, maybe they can be useful. ;)

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  2. Hey was/is she 12 or 14 yrs old? Or is the 14 just another great example of the media's, ahem, "accuracy"???

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  3. When an adult attacks a child, whether with words, hands or weapons, he should be jailed.

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  4. How horrible! Media personalities should be held accountable for such trauma.

    BTW Israeli humor in general is really terrible. Very corny stuff. I guess it is the lack of talmudic thinking that explains the lack of sharpness.

    :-Þ

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  5. FrumGirl; Israei humor in general is pathetic, since original Zionist is rooted in Communism.

    How many hilarious comedians came from the USSR?

    I can't really see a Soviet version of Seinfeld taking off.

    Maybe for about a minute, till his execution.

    (Though George and Elaine would probably still have what to whine about)

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  6. Jameel, you said "the media/entertainment industry's portrayal of Right Wing Jews, Settlers, and Religious Jews are often stereotyped to the point of nastiness."
    My only problem with this statement is I cant think of one occasion besides Ushpizin where I saw a Frum Jew or a Settler portrayed in a positive way on Israeli TV or Movies.

    Also even if we woud bring in a Frum or right wing entertainer no one would hire them. Remember what happened to Adir Zik?

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  7. How about me? I'm funny, I'm frum, and I'm thinking about moving my business to Israel anyway.

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  8. About 10 years ago, I had the chance to see a show called 'Rob's World' at the Jerusalem Theater. Rob was a fabulous religious stand-up comic - absolutely hallarious. Does anyone here know what happened to him ? Yes, we can certainly use an 'Eretz Nehederet' of our own, but sometimes the humor is so close to the truth, I don't know wether to laugh or to cry.
    Shabat Shalom

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  9. Rich: Thats hilarious! Rob was my roomate before I got married.

    I edited most of his jokes :-)

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  10. KL:
    There is a show on TV called Meurav Yerushalmi that depicts a religious family (with some non-religious family members)in Jerusalem. Of course I don't think any of the actors in it are Frum, but I've seen no negative stereotyping so far, in fact it presents them quite positively.

    There is another show called Mizchak Machur which features 5 comedians. Lior Schlein (1 of the comedians) is very right wing and he successfully swipes at leftists all the time. Another comedian on the show is kacha-kacha middle, but when there is a good target on the left he doesn't hold back either.

    While of course these 2 examples are mostly exceptions to the rule, after Yehuda Saado's win in Kochav Nolad (and his nationwide Shma Yisrael -Kisush Lashem) we saw Tzvika Hadar (Ashkenaz-hiloni) regularly start to use phrases like Beezrat Hashem and Baruch Hashem and so on on all his other shows.

    The left may control the media, but being a good Jew in public and interacting with non-religious also seeps into the national mentality over time, and quietly prevents the left from taking this nation over the edge.

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  11. One room in a tower would definitely qualify.

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  12. Rich: Drop me an email and I'll tell you how to find him.

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  13. The line about paying for her wedding is priceless.

    Personally, I think that a lot of the nastiness in the humor comes from jealousy. We're strong, idealistic, and stubborn in our love for our country - rare characteristics nowadays.

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  14. JoeSettler: So are you saying it isn't possible to be "Left" and a "Good Jew", according to your last sentence?

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  15. Joesettler, I stand corrected.

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  16. It depends on your definition of left.

    If left means caring for social values and issues, then of course it's possible to be both.

    If left means that making an area Judenrein is a positive accomplishment, then no.

    If left means promoting non-Jewish values or beliefs, then no again.

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  17. I remember going to a protest to free Noam. Baruch Ha'shem he's been freed. To make things clear, though I bare no empathy towards Kach in general I think rather highly of the Federman family. They're loyal Zionist and good folks in general though that's just my gut feeling.

    I tend to disagree that there are no funny Israeli t.v. shows and that even the ones that are are anti-Zionist. How 'bout the obvious choice: Eretz Nehederet?
    It's just my opinion, but it seems like they make fun of everyone which is what Saturday Night Live has always done and what the right formula is (no pun intended).

    Frum Girl: I was just curious: how many Israeli t.v. shows have you seen? (no offense or anything and if I'm wrong in supposing you haven't seen more than 5 I'll officially appologize:)

    Be'tikva, Eitan.

    p.s. "Muqata": I meant that OC had complained about your not putting her blog up on your list like I was. Hope to talk to u soon!

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  18. And then there's the left wing who congratulated the police actions at Amona (legality yet to be decided) and are now going mad cos stone throwing anti-fence left-wing pple got injured.
    What do they say about walking a mile in another's shoes?

    www.kicisrael.blogspot.com

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  19. I think he should have taken them to court and made them apologize on the air. Getting the settlement cheapens the whole thing.
    Now they say still openly say that they didn't do anything wrong.

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  20. If you really want a good laugh, check this one out...
    http://www.glumbert.com/media/rave.html

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  21. No, Joe: It isn't dependent upon what your definition of "Left" is- rather it depends upon your definition- or in your case, judgement- of "Good Jew."

    And here endeth the discussion. As usual.

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  22. The only group that gets to define the definition of Jewish as well as a good Jew (religiously, ideologically, physically, categorically, etc.) is the same as in the rules of war, the victors.

    So while leftist, Israelis, hilonim, reform, etc. are doing their best to redefine Jews and Judaim in their own image, there will be little to distinguish them and their definition in the long run from those of the karaites, saducees, hellenists, etc. in our past.

    The Torah observant will continue to be the torch bearers, and while there will always be those that branch off (until the Mashiach comes), and even temporary became a majority, eventually they do fade away to irrelevance, and the Torah observant will continue to define who is a (good) Jew.

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  23. Joe:

    Where'd you come up with the notion that the phenomenon you speak of will end with the coming of the Mashiach? If the ten plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea, and the revalation at Mount Sinai were not enough to eliminate Jewish self-rejection and rebelliousness, then I hardly think the restoration of the Davidic dynasty is going to do the trick.

    In "Hilchot Melachim", the Rambam warns us against expecting miraculous changes to accompany the arrival of the Mashiach. Human nature will remain the same. And that means that plenty of Jews will continue to reject the Torah in favor of Hellenism, Marxism, "humanism", Karaism, golden-calfism, or whatever other "ism"'s happen to be in fashion at the time...

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  24. Mike Miller: I'd like to see something you have to say/ write. You make relevant comments on several blogs I visit and I'd like to one day check out your own blog...nice work,

    Eitan.

    p.s. Muqata: is the Shabak aware of your blog;)

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