JewishRobot on The Jewish Channel

Friend and The Jewish Channel correspondent, Steven I. Weiss, reports on Ahmadinejad's alleged Jewish roots, includes a clip from my "Iran to Israel" promo cartoon for Taglit-Birthright Israel.

In the Tehran Bureau

My cartoon "Iran to Israel" was the topic of an article, "From Madman to Ad Man" by Marsha B. Cohen in PBS FRONTLINE's Tehran Bureau, September 6, 2009:

The star of the latest registration campaign, which opens Sept. 8, is none other than Iran's president. Unlike the usual depictions of him in the Israeli and pro-Israel press, Ahmadinejad isn't threatening to wipe Israel off the map in this video clip. On the contrary, what he really wants is a chance to go on a Birthright Israel trip.

Read the article here.

Hit me, I'm Jewish

Hit a Jew Day! It's a lot better than the "Hit a Jew Year" that I endured in high school.

The Great Schlep

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

I love this video from TheGreatSchlep.com featuring Sarah Silverman encouraging us to persuade our Jewish grandparents in Florida to vote for Obama. And I've finally made up my mind: I'm voting for Sarah Silverman for President.

Perfected

Thanks, Paul, for pointing out that our lovely friend, Leah Kauffman, the voice behind Obama Girl and the inspiration for Rosh Hashanah Girl, has a new parody music video out, Perfected, a response to political pundit Ann Coulter and her inflammatory comment that "Jews need to be perfected by becoming Christians."

Personally I don't think Coulter's comments were offensive at all. She was simply summarizing the underlying theme of "completist" religions, including Christianity. Still, the song is catchy and fun, and it's nice to see Kauffman in front of the camera as well as the microphone!

Holy American Jewry, Batman!

Fellow cartoonist Eli Valley has posted his new comic parody online, Holy American Jewry, Batman! posing the question, "What if the Caped Crusader worked in the American Jewish community?"

Not surprisingly, EV's message reminds me of a cartoon I did for JSU, Where in the World?

Flynt vs. Falwell Brings Freedom of Speech

I didn't know much about Jerry Falwell, so his passing didn't seem very relevant. But as a huge proponent of Freedom of Speech, and a person who often makes a living through parody, I found this statement given by Larry Flynt to Access Hollywood on Falwell's death enlightening:

The Reverend Jerry Falwell and I were arch enemies for fifteen years. We became involved in a lawsuit concerning First Amendment rights and Hustler magazine. Without question, this was my most important battle – the l988 Hustler Magazine, Inc., v. Jerry Falwell case, where after millions of dollars and much deliberation, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in my favor.

My mother always told me that no matter how much you dislike a person, when you meet them face to face you will find characteristics about them that you like. Jerry Falwell was a perfect example of that. I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person, years after the trial, Jerry Falwell and I became good friends. He would visit me in

California and we would debate together on college campuses. I always appreciated his sincerity even though I knew what he was selling and he knew what I was selling.

The most important result of our relationship was the landmark decision from the Supreme Court that made parody protected speech, and the fact that much of what we see on television and hear on the radio today is a direct result of my having won that now famous case which Falwell played such an important role in.

I guess something good can come out of everything after all.

Frum on Eileen

Friend, novelist, and stealth cartoonist Eli Valley has written an excellent piece on the intersection of romance comics and interfaith relationships, complete with scanned pages of the nine-part series from 1973 to 1974 in Charlton Comics’ Just Married.

"Listen, you rednecked Irishman, Rabbi Schwartz will marry my David to your daughter!"

"In a pig's eye, Goldman! They'll be married right ... In a church!"

Read all about "Jewish David" and "Irish Eileen" in Valley's Jewcy.com article, "When Jewish David Met Irish Eileen
Jewcy's resident humorist examines intermarriage, 1970s-style".

Will kikes like me in Kike Like Me?

About a year ago I was interviewed by Canadian filmmaker Jamie Kastner of Cave 7 Productions for a documentary in progress with the working title, The Identity Project/ HOW I TOLD THE WORLD I WAS JEWISH, AND FOUND OUT WHAT IT FELT LIKE. Next week, Kastern's film, now more succinctly titled, Kike Like Me, will make its debut in the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Watch the trailer for Kike Like Me:

About one minute into the trailer is an interview clip with my friend, Sara Schwimmer of ChosenCouture.com. And at the end of the trailer, listen closely to the music. That's me jamming on my Hohner melodica!

Funny story about that musical interlude -- while giving the film crew a brief tour of my small apartment, I took out the melodica to demonstrate how I might come up with music for my cartoons. Jamie liked the sound, and to make things more interesting, he suggested we go to the rooftop for a cityscape backdrop. I remember it was freezing cold, and my fingers were getting numb as I played. You can hear the music slowly turning into mush as I end the song.

A few months ago, Cave 7 contacted me to ask what song I was playing, just in case the composition was protected by copyright. I gave my assurance that the music was all improvised, and gave my permission to use it in the film. Here's the short video clip they sent me for confirmation, (back when I strangely resembled Wolverine):

I haven't seen Kike Like Me yet, and I have no idea if my interview even made it into the film. So if anyone in Canada has a chance to see it, let me know!

MyRace

From:	Polinski http://www.myspace.com/themanwiththethings
Date:	Nov 28 2006 5:33 PM Flag spam/abuse [ ? ]
Subject:	Just saying hi :-)
Body:	If I was jewish I wouldnt Be shouting about it - Why don't you take a shower you penny pinching kike shylock jew! It's a shame you lot didn't get wiped out in the holocaust!

Very nice e-mail I received on MySpace.