On this episode of The Katie Halper show, genius writer and performer Sarah Jones channels multiple characters from latest one woman show Sell/Buy/Date on sex work. You can catch the show at New York Live Arts Jan 6-16. Journalist Patrick Hilsman talks about his addiction to heroin versus his addiction to reporting on the Middle East.
16 Questions for David Spade, former celebrity, current Obama critic and TMZ political analyst
David Spade is in the headlines, which is no small feat for the comedian and thespian, whose latest roles include the voice of Sparx, a dragonfly in the video game “The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning” and the nay-saying employee in Capital One commercials. Why is he in the headlines? Because of a new role? Nope. Did he do something funny? Nope. Is he directing? Nope. David Spade is in the news thanks to his insightful socio-economic-political analysis. And Spade did what all great thinkers do when they must speak truth to power: he took to the Twitters and to the celebrity gossip think tank, or, technically, website, known as TMZ. On December 14th, Spade, of Saturday Night Live and less funny funny half of Chris Farley duo films Black Sheep and Tommy Boy former fame tweeted,
Why is Obama on Bear Grills trying to survive in the tundra? Isnt the idea to keep the prez alive? And why is he on a reality show?Wtf ?
Spade was referring to a special edition of the show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, (not “Grills” but I digress) in which President Barack Obama visits Alaska to witness, first hand, the effects of climate change. The President, the host of the show and nearly every news article and press release make the policy implications of the appearance extremely clear, by the way.
But Spade had a chance to offer a more nuanced less 140-character-bound critique of the intersection between media and politics on Sunday when he spoke to the celebrity gossip website TMZ outside of Craig’s, which is apparently, some fancy restaurant in LA:
“I criticized Obama because I thought, you know, a president should have a little more dignity than [pauses to come up with hilarious joke] I mean, I realize that Woodrow Wilson went on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ once, but what president’s doing reality shows? It just sounds weird to me, you know, it’s just too much.
I think that, you know,[pauses to come up with hilarious joke] Michelle Obama’s on ‘Ellen’ more than I am. I mean, what first lady – it’s just a new world, it’s just I’m not used to it, and they’re out [pauses to remember that word the kids are using today that means dehydrated]… It just seems a bit thirsty to me, that’s all.
I think they’re gonna do fine but they’re sorta plotting [is thinking so hard that he leaves out preposition ‘for’] after the White House.
Like, he’s on GQ – I’m like, leave that to Bradley Cooper. You don’t need to go – the president, you’re above all of us, you’re above stars, you’re above everything. When he’s trying to get in the mix, like, I want to present at the MTV Awards – all right guy, you got it, relax.
Spade’s commentary was so thought-provoking, I had to share some of my own thoughts and questions.
- Are you, David Spade, for whatever reason, under the impression that anyone turns to you when looking for sociological critiques on the intersection of media and politics?
- If not, are you, David Spade, for whatever reason, under the impression that what you said had any comedic value?
- If not, are you, David Spade, for whatever reason, under the impression that you’re not engaging in embarrassingly transparent behavior which only serves to communicate the extent of your own insecurity?
18 ways Jews ended the War on Christmas and help us celebrate the holiday
As a Christmas-Tree Jew, I like Christmas just as much as the next goy. But even Jews who don’t celebrate Christmas deserve credit for helping the world celebrate the holiday. In fact, my Christian friends, you may want to think about sending your Jewish friends thank you notes instead of seasons greetings cards. Here are some of the Christmas songs, films and major players brought to you by the Jews.
WAR AGAINST CHRISTMAS TERMINATOR
In case you didn’t know, the War on Christmas was declared over by Fox News. The winner is Christmas and the loser is Political Correctness. But the man who scored the victory was a Jew.
Fox News contributor KT McFarland kvelled to America’s Newsroom host Martha MacCallum about the December 15 CNN GOP debate: “At the very beginning, everybody put their hand on their heart and pledged allegiance to the flag, and at the end, [moderator] Wolf Blitzer wished everybody a Merry Christmas. So guess what, political correctness is dead.” McCallum responding by declaring, “The War against Christmas is over… Put a nail in it from last night!” Co-anchor Bill Hemmer, concurred, shouting from off camera, “We won! We won!”
CHRISTMAS MAJOR PLAYERS
Jesus Christ! (The original birthday boy!)
Brought to you by his Jewish mother, Mary. Since we Jews always get blamed for Jesus Christ’s death, we should really get some credit for his birth!
CHRISTMAS MOVIES
Holiday Inn Directed by Mark Sandrich
White Christmas Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Love, Actually Directed by Richard Curtis
A Christmas Carol (the 2009 remake with Jim Carrey) Directed by Robert Zemekis
Dar Williams on coming out, depression and Pete Seeger
Singer, song-writer activist Dar Williams talks about coming out of the closet, performing with Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen’s empty bottles, and dealing with depression. Featuring a never released lesbian-seeming-Dar-Williams-mashup. Check out Dar live at the Bellhouse in Brooklyn on December 26th!
Ben Carson points to experience as neurosurgeon to prove he’s fit to kill innocent people
These days, it takes a lot for me to be shocked by what a Republican says. It takes even more for me to be shocked by what Ben Carson says. But the doctor andGifted Hands author has truly outdone himself. When GOP debate moderator Hugh Hewitt asked Carson if he was prepared to order the bombing of civilians, Carson insisted that he was. And to prove it, he pointed to his experience as a pediatric neurosurgeon:
You should see the eyes of some of those children when I say to them, ‘We are going to have to open your head up and take out this tumor.’ They’re not happy about it and they don’t like me very much at that point. But later on, they love me. Later on, they really realize what’s going on. And by the same token, you have to be able to look at the big picture, and understand that it’s actually merciful if you go ahead and finish the job, rather death by a thousand pricks.
Today will definitely go down in history as the day that a neurosurgeon compared the way he operated on cancer-stricken children with how he would kill innocent people. Good luck getting an appointment for you children, parents. Dr. Carson is going to be booked like woah!
Eric Garner’s mother reflects on justice one year after killer cops walk: ‘I’m gonna keep his name alive’
Originally posted on December 3, 2015, on RawStory
It was exactly one year ago that a grand jury decided not to indict a NYPD officer who was caught on video putting Eric Garner into a chokehold, pulling him backwards and down onto the sidewalk, and pushing his face into the ground despite the fact that Garner stated, “I can’t breath,” eleven times. Garner was then left on the ground for 7 minutes. Neither Officer Daniel Pantaleo not the other officers nor the EMT performed CPR on the 43-year-old father of 6, who was pronounced dead an hour later. Why had Garner been approached by police in the first place? Because he had committed the crime of selling loose cigarettes.
The senseless and unpunished murder of her son, transformed Gwen Carr, a long-time MTA train operator, forever. She soon retired from the MTA to become a full-time activist. I spoke with Mrs. Carr this week on my WBAI radio show, about her life, her son, her family, and her justice work. Here is some of what she told me.
About the failure to indict:
I definitely did [expect an indictment]. My son’s death was caught on video. Full coverage. And there was no indictment. You mean the grand jury didn’t see any probable cause? Where is the justice in that? Nobody asked them to try the case. Just to look for probably cause. That’s what a grand jury does.
About her channeling her grief into something positive.
What really got me was when I start thinking about well my son is gone now. If I don’t do something about it, I can’t expect anyone else to do anything. So, I’m gonna get out there and I’m gonna keep his name alive. If it’s only me, I’m gonna keep his name alive. And when I found out about how many others that were out there, I said I’m gonna make a promise to be the voice of my son and the voice of the voiceless and the nameless. So, I’m gonna try to keep that promise by speaking out, walking, rallying, doing whatever it takes until my voice is heard, until we get justice.
Justice for me is to hold everyone accountable who was involved in my son’s death that day. Because it was a senseless killing. It did not have to happen. And when they did this to my son they went deep on me. They stole my joy, they killed my spirit and they ripped my heart out. So, I just want to see everyone stand accountable for what they did that day because if there’s a crime there should be accountability whether you wear blue jeans, a blue suit or a blue uniform.
About how to end police violence and murder:
Molly Crabapple on drawing at Gitmo trials & why a photo will never defeat white supremacy
On this week’s episode we talk to artist and journalist Molly Crabapple about her memoirs Drawing Blood which drops TODAY! DECEMBER 1! Molly has reported and created art from Guantanamo Bay military tribunals, to Occupy Wall Street, to Iraq’s Domiz camp for Syrian refugees, to Luzerne County PA courthouses. She talks to the Katie Halper Show about being an Arroz Con Matzoh Ball (a Puerto-Rican Jew), the influence of her artist mother and Marxist Latin American studies professor father, getting food poisoning in Morocco, why talent isn’t enough, what the liberal media is getting wrong about Syrian refugees, and why dash cams and “photos will never defeat white supremacy.”
Does Larry David Deserve $5,000 for Kinda, Sorta Calling Donald Trump a Racist?
Comedians and activists weigh in on whether David called attention to Trump’s racism or protected SNL from criticism.
Originally posted November 12, 2015 on The Nation
Here is how it came to be that Larry David kind of sort of called The Donald a racist. When NBC announced that Trump would be hosting Saturday Night Live, several progressive organizations, 50 cultural and intellectual luminaries, and several members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus condemned the decision. The National Hispanic Media Coalition teamed up with organizations like Moveon.org and the Justice League to organize a protest outside 30 Rock the night of the show. The DeportRacism.com PAC joined in, offering $5,000 to any audience member who would stand up during the show and call Trump a racist. As organizer Santiago Cejudo put it, “We’re hoping the $5,000 will help people on set or in the studio audience find the bravery to speak out loudly and help focus the national conversation on that we need to deport racism, not people.”
Towards the end of Trump’s painfully flat opening monologue, someone yelled out, “You’re a racist!” An obviously unfazed Trump responded to the clearly staged interruption, by asking, “Who the hell is… Oh, I knew this was going to happen.… Who is that?”
At this point a spotlight revealed that it was Larry David, who had appeared as Bernie Sanders in the opening skit. No longer in costume, David said again, “Trump’s a racist.”
“Why would he do that?” Trump asked.
“I heard if I did that, they’d give me $5,000,” said David with his signature combination of disinterest and distaste. Trump had the last word, saying, “As a businessman, I can fully respect that.”
Many in the media have praised David for his yelling, with some even confusing an obviously prepared exchange with a genuine disruption. Variety magazine said, “Larry David provided one of the few real moments of spontaneity in Saturday’s episode.” Complex magazine praised the “legitimate burn by Larry David (a.k.a. The God),” and described it as “fantastic…something of an Easter egg that none of us could have anticipated but were nonetheless praying for.” The Daily Beast described David’s yelling as one of the episode’s “scathing Trump critiques.”
Continue reading “ Does Larry David Deserve $5,000 for Kinda, Sorta Calling Donald Trump a Racist?”
The Feministing Five: Margaret Cho
Originally posted on November 16, 2015 on Feministing.com
Margaret Cho, the standup comedian, actor, writer, activist, singer-songwriter, mensch, and wedding officiator, is also an unapologetic feminist. Cho is known for using her comedy as a weapon against racism, sexism, and homophobia. In her latest show, PsyCHO, which she is touring with now, Cho jokes about vibrators but also deals with things like police brutality and homelessness.
Another serious issue Cho uses her voice to address is rape. In November of 2014, Cho tweeted, “I am a rape victim and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I come forward in solidarity with all women who have suffered. #tellyourstory.” She spoke about her experience in more depth during an interview with Billboard Magazine in September of this year. And on November 13, Cho’s new song and video “(I Want to) Kill My Rapist,” debuted on perezhilton.com.
And now, without further ado, the Feministing Five with Margaret Cho!
Katie Halper: who is your favorite fictional heroine, and who are your heroines in real life?
Margaret Cho: My favorite fictional character is Mina Harker and all of her permutations in the vampire genre. My heroines in real life are from that era too, George Sand and Mary Shelley.
KH: What recent news story made you want to scream?
MC: Anything about Bill Cosby. He’s done such horrible things to women for over 40 years and he really was a pioneer in comedy and also the kind of pioneer that I would have liked to have been. He brought about so much change when it came to African Americans in comedy and television and so he was such a hero but the fact that he was a rapist for 40 years and got away with it and women didn’t feel like they could come forward or they were not believed, it’s an outrageous misuse of the power and comedy. It’s a horrifying thing and the fact that the stories have been around for over 40 years and people didn’t believe them is really terrible.
What is amazing about it is that women are finally coming forward and are able to tell their stories and that will create change in the conversation around rape. As a survivor myself, I think it is incredibly healing to hear these women tell their truths. And there’s no statue of limitations on the truth. Even though he can’t be prosecuted in the matter he should be, at least we have some kind of justice. And we can take this as a lesson that you can put your rapist on blast. And that lets you get some of that rage out instead of internalizing it. I think that sexual abuse often recreates itself within the survivor as eating disorders, as depression, as suicide, as self mutilation and that when we can murder the rapist inside of us that thrives on our own suffering, that we can find that healing.
KH: What, in your opinion, is the greatest challenge facing feminism today?
MC: The possible defunding of Planned Parenthood! We’re basically going back in time. Why are we trying to turn back time? We’re looking at this huge campaign to defund Planned Parenthood that’s based on lies, based on misogyny, based on the idea that somehow we are public space, that our bodies are part of America, that they can legislate our uterus. The fact is that Planned Parenthood is there for so many other reasons besides abortion. The most troubling thing is that they want to take away reproductive health for low-income women. And that is something that we cannot let happen. There are so many lies around Planned Parenthood. And they’re not particularly good ones because they can be fact checked so easily. All we are asking is that people check the source.
KH: Why do you identify as feminist and how is feminism present in your work?
MC: I think I’ve always been a feminist. I don’t know when I actually started implementing the word but I’ve always felt it growing up, mostly through standup. I started standup very early, 14 or 15, and I knew that I had that point of view. I started identifying as a feminist in the 70s, I guess! I feel like a baby bra burner! Now feminism has gone through a lot different incarnations, even to the point where some women were not calling themselves feminist and didn’t want to be associated with feminism. But I think feminism has become much more aggressive and much more progressive, especially in comedy, with people like Amy Schumer, and Tig Notaro, and hopefully myself. I really like the way feminism is on display with people like Lena Dunham and Mindy Kaling — there’s so much great stuff happening, so much great comedy.
Feminism isn’t just a white middle class movement. It is a white middle class movement. It’s also a movement for people of color. It’s also a movement for poor people. It’s a movement for people who need to empower themselves, no matter who they are. We need to understand that we still don’t make equal pay, no matter how much you work. Feminism is a lot of things. And the expression of feminism is different for everyone. The patriarchy likes to shame us and belittle us by criticizing feminism. Feminism is a way to heal from patriarchy, from abuse, from inequality. There’s so much more involved in feminism that goes beyond race and class and that goes beyond countries’ borders.
I’m a feminist because I have no other alternative. I’m a feminist through and through.
All my work is feminist. My latest show, PsyCHO, is feminist. I’m saying what I need to say, and everything is on my terms. My song Fat Pussy is feminist. It’s about fat pride, enjoying my body as opposed to feeling bad about it.
KH: You’re going to a desert island, and you’re allowed to take one food, one drink, and one feminist. What do you pick?
MC: I want buttered kettle corn with vodka and Gloria Steinem.
Making Politics Laughable BY ANGELA BARBUTI
Comedian Katie Halper riffs on Zabar’s and socialist summer camp
Katie Halper refers to herself as a stereotype of the Upper West Side. “My dad’s a psychiatrist. My mom’s an English professor and a novelist,” she explained. She identifies as Jewish, but in the secular sense, and uses that in her comedy. “I’ll do stuff about anything from Zabar’s to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
The 34-year-old is making a name for herself in the political comedy world of New York City. Describing herself as “liberal, progressive, left,” she is very much aware of the fact that she’s not alone in her thinking here in the city. “It’s funny, people are always like, ‘You’re preaching to the choir,’ but the choir deserves to be entertained,” she said.
This year, she was given her own weekly radio show on WBAI, “The Katie Halper Show,” where she brings on guests such as historians, journalists, organizers and of course, fellow comedians, and they give their takes on the news, the arts, politics and pop culture.
On November 18th, she will host Laughing Liberally, an offshoot of Living Liberally, the troupe, of which she is a member, that creates social events around progressive politics. Her documentary “Commie Camp” about Jewish activist-founded Camp Kinderland, which she attended as a youngster, will play at Anthology Film Archives on December 14.
How did you get started in comedy?I’ve always been very political. I went to Wesleyan University in Connecticut and when I was in college, I thought that I would go to law school. I remember one day at Wesleyan, people were like, “Katie, you should be in the standup show.” And I said, “I don’t do standup. I’m not funny on command.” Because they thought I was funny. So I did the show. I just basically told stories about my family, and my grandmother, in particular. There was a really nice and funny woman who was the headliner named Susan Prekel and she was really encouraging. But I was reluctant to perform. There was something I always thought was kind of obnoxious about actors and performers. I was also more political, so it took me a while to admit that I liked performing.
What was it like growing up on the Upper West Side?Well, I’m the product of a mixed marriage, my mom is Bronxian and my dad is Queensian. But I’m a walking stereotype of the Upper West Side. It’s very Woody Allen. Actually, there’s a part in the film “Annie Hall” where Allen meets a character named Allison Portchnik, who is played by Carol Kane, and tries to size her up and says, “You’re like New York, Jewish, left-wing, liberal, intellectual, Central Park West, Brandeis University, the socialist summer camps and … father with the Ben Shahn drawings, right, and … strike-oriented kind of, red diaper …” But I grew up on Riverside Drive, not Central Park West, and went to Wesleyan, not Brandeis. I even went to the socialist summer camp, Camp Kinderland, which was founded by secular Jewish workers in the 1920s. My mom, uncle and grandmother worked there and I made a documentary about it called “Commie Camp.” It’s funny because I didn’t use to identify as Jewish because I’m not at all religious. But now I realize that there is a secular Jewish identity and tradition, which I very much have.
New York Magazine called you “Stephen Colbert crossed with Sarah Silverman.” How do you describe your comedic style?Like Colbert. I am ironic or satirical and sometimes pseudo self-congratulating, but I break character all the time. My normal character is just me. Actually someone just gave me a blurb today and she’s like, “You’re quirky and incisive, but never mean.” I like to get people to tell me stories. I really like listening to people and asking them questions. Often I’ll have people talk, not just about the current events, but also about their lives. I like to get them able to relax. And when I do standup, it varies between short, cerebral jokes or storytelling. Sometimes it’s sarcastic. It’s about politics. It’s about dating. More and more it’s about dating, actually. Thank God for small favors, like terrible dates, which make great art. It’s all going in the book that I want to write one day.
Read the rest at: http://www.nypress.com/local-news/20151027/making-politics-laughable/2#sthash.DbQLMQcd.dpuf
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