So, while this is a fashion blog, I have been known to put my two cents in on news and happenings, especially with regard to the Jewish world and Jewish culture. I don't know about you, but last night's holiday episode of Glee was especially frustrating for me, and I'm going to shout it from the rooftops till Ryan Murphy hears me.
While I appreciate the effort to include Chanukah (Hanukkah--whatever) on their holiday episode (see video below), it's getting kind of old and frustrating to see the Jews being the butt of many jokes on the show. Now, a holiday that involves very specific and popular cultural symbols (a list for you: menorah, dreidel, jelly doughnuts, Hanukkah gelt, blue and white, oil, 8 nights of presents-- I could go on) and would EASILY make for a token "Jews around the menorah" scene was instead portrayed by two men running through a backlot in Los Angeles and then hanging ornaments on a tree. A CHRISTMAS tree. For CHANUKAH.
Pardon me if I seem to be getting pissed about nothing, but apparently the Jewish culture has become nothing more than a minor acknowledgement as that OTHER holiday in December, than an actual real holiday celebrated by millions of people around the country. Hey Ryan Murphy, we couldn't even get our one token scene in an ENTIRE holiday episode? Apparently not. No, instead we got a poorly sung song with mispronounced words (it's pronounce SE - VEE - VON. I can't even make out what the Puckermans are saying in that sentence) with a bunch of frolicking showgirls and nuns (!), and a pissed-off security guard. How am I, a Jew celebrating Chanukah, supposed to relate in any way to or associate with two men running around a Los Angeles movie backlot singing a Chanukah song? How is that supposed to represent Chanukah? How did Ryan Murphy even dignify that as a sufficient portrayal of this holiday? I'm not even Christian, but I related more to the Christmas aspects of the episode by sheer fact that I am a New Yorker than I did to the Chanukah.
This was a complete disregard for everything our holiday stands for. Ryan Murphy made Chanukah into a big old joke meant to do his part to "be inclusive". Chanukah is a beautiful and highly festive holiday with lights and decorations too-- just because it doesn't involve a little green and red and have tinsel and shiny ornaments or tree doesn't make it any less valuable to the audience. I would have rather that Glee didn't acknowledge Chanukah at all than to have had that poor excuse of a musical number to satisfy the Jews (which is exactly what it felt like). I shall classify this as a #GleeFail.
Follow me on Twitter @AronHakodeshJWG
Click here to Like The OAK on Facebook
D
While I appreciate the effort to include Chanukah (Hanukkah--whatever) on their holiday episode (see video below), it's getting kind of old and frustrating to see the Jews being the butt of many jokes on the show. Now, a holiday that involves very specific and popular cultural symbols (a list for you: menorah, dreidel, jelly doughnuts, Hanukkah gelt, blue and white, oil, 8 nights of presents-- I could go on) and would EASILY make for a token "Jews around the menorah" scene was instead portrayed by two men running through a backlot in Los Angeles and then hanging ornaments on a tree. A CHRISTMAS tree. For CHANUKAH.
Pardon me if I seem to be getting pissed about nothing, but apparently the Jewish culture has become nothing more than a minor acknowledgement as that OTHER holiday in December, than an actual real holiday celebrated by millions of people around the country. Hey Ryan Murphy, we couldn't even get our one token scene in an ENTIRE holiday episode? Apparently not. No, instead we got a poorly sung song with mispronounced words (it's pronounce SE - VEE - VON. I can't even make out what the Puckermans are saying in that sentence) with a bunch of frolicking showgirls and nuns (!), and a pissed-off security guard. How am I, a Jew celebrating Chanukah, supposed to relate in any way to or associate with two men running around a Los Angeles movie backlot singing a Chanukah song? How is that supposed to represent Chanukah? How did Ryan Murphy even dignify that as a sufficient portrayal of this holiday? I'm not even Christian, but I related more to the Christmas aspects of the episode by sheer fact that I am a New Yorker than I did to the Chanukah.
This was a complete disregard for everything our holiday stands for. Ryan Murphy made Chanukah into a big old joke meant to do his part to "be inclusive". Chanukah is a beautiful and highly festive holiday with lights and decorations too-- just because it doesn't involve a little green and red and have tinsel and shiny ornaments or tree doesn't make it any less valuable to the audience. I would have rather that Glee didn't acknowledge Chanukah at all than to have had that poor excuse of a musical number to satisfy the Jews (which is exactly what it felt like). I shall classify this as a #GleeFail.
Follow me on Twitter @AronHakodeshJWG
Click here to Like The OAK on Facebook
D
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